Affair
by Sereko
Summary: Queen Serenity dislikes her daughter with a passion. This hatred eventually explodes in an argument that causes Serenity to flee in distress to the only place that she's ever loved...Earth.
1. Prologue

Affair by Sereko

AHHHHHH! The formatting is horrible!!! I'm new to the Fanfiction.net world and so, I've never had to format in their specific way before. I'm SO sorry that I posted my chapters looking the way they looked. I hope I fixed all the problems with these new, updated versions. Please tell me if they're still hard to read. Sorry, again!

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters associated with the story (except for Prince Arian). I merely use Naoko Takeuchi's genius as a starting point for my own storytelling.

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Prologue

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            Her dress rippled behind her as she ran out of the decorated glass doors that led to the gardens. Crystal drops spilled past her in her flight across the silver grass. Her golden tresses glinted in the natural light of the Moon and gave the girl an almost angelic look. Guards couldn't help but glance her way when she passed by.

----- 

            "For the last time! Stop this nonsense now! You will obey my command and follow through with the plans that I have been working on for months!" Queen Serenity quickly silenced her apprehensive daughter with her retort. Though she didn't like the situation too much herself, it had to be this way. 

            The princess was incensed. "But this is utterly degrading! Despite the altruistic façade of this trip being a chance for me to become more familiar with the inner workings of our kingdom, I know that you and all of the city leaders are just trying to shove me around until one of their sons becomes interested in me!" Her cry landed on deaf ears. The senshi standing behind her averted their eyes as best as possible in an attempt to avoid the embarrassing situation. The Queen's two advisors, Luna and Artemis, looked compassionately down at the princess. They understood what she was feeling and were against what the Queen was doing, but they didn't have the power or the where-with-all to oppose such authority. 

----- 

            Gorgeous flowers of all colors whizzed by in a blur. The angel didn't notice, however. She was barely paying any attention to the things around her or the ground at her feet. The only thing that she was looking at was the huge, domineering wall a few yards ahead of her. 

            As she approached, she slowed her pace and turned her head to look about her. Her escape had caused a bit of commotion, but the guards didn't make any move to follow her thinking that she wanted some time to herself. With a sigh of relief, she closed her eyes and concentrated. 

            Had there been anyone outside of the southeast wall of the palace at the time, they would have noticed a bright flash of light and the appearance of a young woman. Luckily for the fleeing girl, nobody was around when she teleported herself from one side of the wall to the other. She didn't have to worry about one of the senshi or her mother sensing her use of power either because she had learned long ago how to mask such actions from their senses. 

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            Artemis deftly reached forward to the princess that he considered his own daughter. He could see the hurt in her eyes at her own mother's actions and knew that she needed comfort. Before his hand could fall upon the blonde's forearm, however, someone blocked its path. 

            "No! She is a big girl now. She can take care of herself." Even the senshi had to raise their eyes to stare in disbelief at that comment.

            Princess Serenity recoiled. "You have done a lot of things that I am not happy about, but to cut down your own trusted advisor when he was trying to console me is by far one of the worst." She paused, holding in her tears and keeping her voice strong. "He is my father. By hurting him you destroy me." 

            Again everyone in the room looked up at the comment. This argument between the two royals of the Moon court was running off of its intended course and leading into dangerous ground. 

            "Usa…" The white haired man was touched beyond words. It was true that he and Luna had basically raised the young woman since she was a babe, but the princess had always treasured the memory of her real father. To put him on the side in order to defend and honor Artemis was an unthinkable occurrence. 

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            She fell to her knees approximately three miles from the high palace walls. It was not necessarily the fact that her legs were tired or that her lungs were burning that had stopped her in her trek. It was the constant streams of tears that were falling from her eyes. The pained emotions in her heart left her reeling, not her aching feet. 

            Her reflection stared back at her from the small creek next to her. Depressed. Stricken. Weak. "No!" Two fists slammed against the soft soil of the Moon. "I am not weak. I am NOT weak." The princess resolutely stood up once more and continued on. 

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            The Queen only turned a worse shade of angry red. "How DARE you! To make such a proclamation against my beloved husband and your REAL father is an insult to the throne! People can be imprisoned for such speak!" 

            "And that is exactly what you have been waiting for, right mother? You cannot wait to throw me in a cell and get rid of me for good!" Tears pricked at the backs of the young Serenity's eyes for the second time during the argument. This time she didn't bother to hold them back. There was no point anymore. 

            Queen Serenity straightened her slouching posture. The heat of the argument was starting to take a hold of her and she was losing her regal bearing. "That is correct." Several gasps sounded from all around the large conference room. The noblemen from the meeting earlier had cleared out when the princess's tour became the topic of conversation. They would have stayed had not the princess jumped out of her seat at the injustice of the idea. Now, only the senshi and advisors were left from their posts around the room's walls. They were the ones who had gasped. "I am sure that your stillborn older brother would have made me much prouder than you have!" 

            Silence. 

            That was the last straw. Without a moment's hesitation, the Crown Princess of the Moon Kingdom turned and ran from her mother's presence. No one made a move to stop her. Most of the senshi didn't feel that they had grown close enough to the young girl in order to have the right to follow her. Luna and Artemis would have had not their liege given them a hefty glare and warning. Then there was Mercury who could barely stay still as formality commanded. She wanted to slap the leader of the Silver Millennium and run after her dearest friend, but she couldn't. And so the angel was alone in her frantic race away from her home.

End Prologue

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I hope you liked it. It's a slow start, but I promise that things get better...MUCH better. 

Please send ANY comments to me, Sereko. My e-mail is: sereko13@yahoo.com


	2. Chapter 1

Affair by Sereko

And now on to Chapter 1. It took me a while to figure out an original and interesting way for Serenity and Endymion to meet...I hope that what I came up with is adequate in both respects.

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters associated with the story (except for Prince Arian). I merely use Naoko Takeuchi's genius as a starting point for my own storytelling.

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Chapter 1

……….

'How could she! How could she be so cruel!' Soft feet padded on soft ground. 'I would give my life for her at the drop of a hat and yet she can barely stand to be near me!' The resulting methodical thumping began to falter. "Mother!"

Serenity's cry was muffled and stilted from her sobs. "I have got to get out of here," she whispered to herself. "I just cannot stand it anymore! I need a break!" Now with a mission, the princess's stride resumed its powerful length. She tried to think of places that she could go. There weren't many places on the Moon that she could run to where the Queen wouldn't be able to track her down within the hour. The thought of teleporting to another planet flashed through her mind, but it was quickly discarded. No one had so much power that they could do such a thing. To teleport across a planet was hard enough, but it was nearly impossible to go from planet to planet.

The runaway scrunched her face and sealed her eyes tightly in frustration. 'There's no way that I can just go back and face the Queen right now.' She raised her head to the sky and screamed, "I have got to get out of here!"

A tingle ran down Serenity's spine as she ran blindly forward. The sensation caused her to open her eyes. What she saw made her heart stop. She was no longer surrounded by endless hills of silver. Instead everything was green and blue.

She had teleported to Earth.

…..

"Now, now guys. I did not MEAN to push you in the river. Really! It was an accident!" A young man of twenty-one with thick, black hair took another hesitant step backwards. He glanced nervously over his shoulder and noticed that the river he was referring to was now a mere two feet away. He giggled nervously.

Another man, this one with silver hair and of the age of twenty-three, advanced further. The younger man in front of him with his arms up in a defensive position let out another nervous giggle. "But Endy," he began all too sweetly, "if it was not you, then why is the missing part of my ripped shirt hanging out of your pants' pocket?"

Royal blue eyes widened. They glanced down, noticed the piece of cloth and then looked up. "Heh, well you see…"

"Yes?"

"I was…um…trying to keep you from falling in! That is all! I grabbed your shirt to keep you on the riverbank, but the darn thing ripped instead!" The eyes looked around frantically.

"Right." The silver-haired man threw a knowing glance at his three comrades who were stalking alongside him. All three caught the signal and prepared themselves.

"GET HIM!"

Immediately, all four men lunged at the guilty party. They each managed to lay a hand on their victim, which led to their victim being shoved backwards. splash

Hearty laughter erupted into the crisp air of the riverbank. High fives were shared.

Moments later, the black-haired youth floundered to the top of the river. He heaved with deep breaths and glared at the laughing men above him.

The one with short blonde hair noticed the glare. "Serves you right!" He laughed some more while walking over to his friend. He threw the young man a sympathetic look and reached out with one of his hands.

While being helped out of the cool water that he had found himself in, the victim said, "It is not MY fault that I managed to drive all of you into the water before you were able to land a good attack on me!"

The laughter started to die off leaving a friendly atmosphere in its wake. "And it is not our faults that you are the best fighter in the known world!"

More laughter. "Come now, we have had our fun, but now we must get back to the palace before nightfall. I do not want to have your mother on my case for not bringing back her precious Endymion in time for dinner."

"All right, all right. We may leave now, Kunzite." Endymion wrung his shirt for the third time to try and get the water out of it. Kunzite and the others walked over to where they had tied up their horses and began to mount. When the prince noticed that his guard was ready to leave, he said, "Why do not you go on ahead? I will catch up in a few minutes."

Zoicite shook his head. "No, Endy. The only thing worse than making you late for dinner is leaving you alone."

"Do not worry about it. I just want to dry my clothes a bit more. It is very uncomfortable to ride a horse with wet clothes."

The generals glanced at each other. Without another thought, they turned around and rode off. "We will tell your mother that you will be home soon," Jadeite yelled over his shoulder. "Stay out of trouble and telepath us if you need any help!"

…..

Serenity was fascinated. Everything looked so vibrant, so alive. She couldn't help but touch everything that she came in contact with.

After the princess had come to the realization that she had, indeed, done the impossible and transported herself to another planet, she screamed with joy. "Earth! I am on Earth!" She tried to hold back her childish giggles, but failed miserably. "Of all the planets to end up at, I find myself on the most wonderful one of all!" She splayed open her arms and spun around in happy circles.

Since she had closed her eyes in order to let her senses fully take in all that was this magnificent planet, Serenity did not pay any attention as to where she landed - in dizziness - from her spinning.

She let out a light laugh at her antics, opened her eyes and sat upright. "Oh my-" she gasped.

There, mere inches away from where she had fallen, lay a half-naked man. By the even breath passing through his lips and the relaxed position of his body, Serenity decided that he was asleep and that she had luckily not awakened him. He had on a pair of striking black pants that brought forth the richness of his deep black hair. His white shirt was laying a few feet away in a ray of sunlight that managed to slip past the tree leaves overhead. It looked a bit damp from the princess's view and was laid out in a manner that suggested that the man had intended it to dry in the small circle of sunshine that it was in.

She brought herself to her knees curiously. "So this is a Terran." Hardly able to contain the excitement flowing through her veins, she had to hold herself back from squealing in delight. It was forbidden, disgustingly forbidden, for people of the Moon to even think about a Terran or the world they inhabited. Supposedly at one point in history, a point before Serenity was born, the Moon and Earth were at peace with each other. However, since that time, a complete lack of communication had transpired. There were no wars or angry revolts, just a silence. Serenity, herself, knew of the reason for this though most people were left in the dark on the matter. Her mother had told her when she was younger so that she could better understand the Moon's relations to other planets when she ascended the throne.

At a time when the current Queen Serenity was just a toddler, the people of the Moon had started to second-guess their guardianship over the blue and green orb. There was such hostility in the minds of Terrans and it bred many horrible things such as plagues and negative magical energy. That negative energy was what had really scared the Lunarians. In times of increased anger, such as a war, the planet Earth would lose some of its strength and a little bit of its essence would fall to negative powers. Within time, the negative powers would grow to be quite a formidable force against Mother Earth. Then chaos would break out and there would be no telling what would happen to the Earth or the planets surrounding it. This fear of eventual downfall to evil led the Moon to retract from its position as guardian. The video monitors used to supervise Terran activity and things of the like were turned off and taken away. The Moon did not want to fall to evil like they knew the Earth would at some point. And so the Moon pulled itself away and the Earth became offended by its watcher's loss of faith. Communication was severed and people on both ends were banned from each other.

Serenity sighed in frustration. She didn't agree with what had occurred those many years back. She loved the Earth. She had studied it as a child and even secretly visited the planet with Mercury when she was five. The breathtaking landscapes and bustling townsfolk intrigued her to no end.

The princess heaved another sigh while plopping down on her rump next to the stranger. She glanced over at his face. His beauty was not lost on her. Stretching her bounds, she leaned over his bare chest to more easily view his face. He had a strong nose that was complimented by strong cheekbones. His luxurious hair was tousled from the wind and hung disheveled on top of his head and over his brow. Eyes, that Serenity had assured herself must be amazing, were hidden behind closed lids and thick black lashes.

She tentatively reached out a hand to his cheek in order to touch his soft skin. Then, she moved her hand to the side and curled one of his unruly locks behind his ear. She was surprised at her bravery in tempting fate and assuming that the man would not wake, but brushed it off as insane curiosity took hold of her. It was not that she had never seen or come in close contact with a man before. It was that something in her heart jumped when she looked at him. He was so handsome and had just happened to be in the same place at the same time that she was dancing around enthralled at being on Earth.

The combination of her elation and curiosity had left her interested to see what the difference between Lunarians and Terrans was, if there was a difference at all. 'Yes! That is it!' Serenity thought to herself, confident that she had justified her actions well enough.

She was quickly taken from her reverie when she felt something touch the hand that was resting on the man's face. Bright blue eyes carefully and slowly fell from a view of the treetops to that of the most intense pair of dark blue eyes she had ever seen.

Somehow, she managed not to jolt in surprise at finding the stranger awake.

The thing that she had felt earlier on her hand was his own hand. It had moved from his side initially in surprise at the girl's presence, but then he had calmed and moved it to rest on her own hand instead. Endymion stared up at the stranger curiously. What had she been doing? Who was she…and why was she caressing the side of his face?

Serenity was the first to talk. After she nervously untangled their hands to clasp hers together at her lap, she stuttered, "Um…uh…H-Hello." Her unconscious immediately smacked her upside the head. '"Hello"? That is the best you can do! What a disgrace!'

Endymion slowly lifted himself to a slightly sitting, slightly leaning position next to her. "Hello." That was awkwardly the last thing spoken for a while. The two just kept staring at each other, both in equaled fascination of the other.

"My name is Usagi." Serenity said instinctively. After she spoke the name she wasn't sure why she hadn't told him her more formal one.

"I am Mamoru." Some of the same thoughts were running through Endymion's head. There was just something about the girl that made him think he could tell her his deepest secrets.

"It is nice to meet you."

"It is nice to meet you, too."

Well, that was it for the usual conversation starters. Now the two were really in a pickle to think of something to say to the other. More silence and more staring pervaded the riverbank. That is, until one of them finally built up a little bit of courage.

"What were you doing sitting next to me?" Endymion asked abruptly.

"I was memorizing your face," she replied instantaneously.

"I remember that." The young prince said with a smile. He still couldn't figure out why he hadn't jumped up when he first awoke to yell at the girl and demand to know what she thought she was doing. "Why?"

"Because-" Serenity panicked. She couldn't very well tell him it was because he was a Terran. It would be a little odd for a Terran to say that to another Terran and she wasn't about to tell him where she was really from just yet. "Because when I had stumbled upon you during my walk through this area, I thought-I thought…" She paused in her failed attempt at a white lie, sighed and let the next words tumble carelessly out of her mouth, "Because my heart told me that I did not want to forget you." Well, it wasn't a lie. It wasn't the truth she had planned on bestowing upon him, but it was still a truth – and an embarrassing one at that.

Endymion did not laugh at her comment. He, instead, cautiously lifted up a hand and gently let it rest on one of Serenity's cheeks. She was surprised at the gesture, but didn't pull away. She thought for sure that he was going to mock her for making such a bold statement, seeing as how she had spoken about a total of three sentences to the man and had been in his presence for barely ten minutes. Her thoughts halted on their self-deprecating path when the man with the rich black hair and tantalizing blue eyes moved his hand in a caress about her cheek. "Wh-What are you doing?" She mentally kicked herself for stuttering like a schoolgirl.

"I am memorizing your face."

"Why?" She asked him curiously.

"Because, like yours, my heart told me that I did not want to forget you."

"Oh." Serenity said dumbly.

Endymion's touch was doing bad things to her nerves. His hand continued its exploration across her forehead, down her temple and cheek as it nipped her earlobe and then followed her jaw line. The princess sucked in a breath when Endymion's calloused hand stopped at her chin and his thumb moved up and over her lips slowly. She watched his eyes as they switched from following his hand along her face to gazing up at her. As if it were the most natural thing in the world, both leaned forward. Serenity could feel the prince's breath on her lips as they neare-

'Endy!'

Both parties heard the telepathic cry and both parties immediately pulled away. Endymion let out a sigh. 'Yes? What is it?' While waiting for an answer, he looked confusedly over at the blonde next to him. She didn't seem the least bit lost as to why he had pulled away and diverted his attention to seemingly nothingness.

'Where are you! You were supposed to be home a half an hour ago!'

'Oh…uh…sorry. I accidentally fell asleep while I was trying to sun dry my clothes.'

'Well, you had better get your royal behind home soon or your mother will throw a FIT!' The voice seemed to speak from experience.

Endymion cringed at the loud yelling in his head. When he looked over at Serenity, he was surprised to see that it seemed as if she were cringing too. 'Yeah, okay. I will be home soon.'

'En-'

'I promise.' The prince cut off anything further with that and soon his mind was free of Jadeite.

Serenity wasted no time in standing up and dusting off her clothes. "What-What are you doing?" Endymion, whose hand had slipped from the princess's face when she stood and who was now standing up himself, asked her dumbfounded.

"What do you think?" she asked back as if it were obvious. "I am getting up to leave so that you can go home to dinner."

The prince stopped in his tracks. "What did you just say?"

"I said that I am getting up to leave so that you can go home to dinner." Serenity had turned her full attention to the man now. Why was he acting so strangely? Wasn't he planning on going home after that telepathic call? Wait…telepathic call? Uh oh.

"How did you know that I was called to dinner?"

"Uh…well…" 'Stupid, Serenity! Stupid! Not all Terrans have the power of telecommunication like the Lunarians do!' "You see…I…" Serenity nervously backed away from the advancing prince until she had backed herself into a tree.

"How did you hear that telepathic message? Only people born with the magical gift and expertly trained in how to use it can use telepathy. That is a very small number of people and most, if not all of them, I know."

The blonde, blue-eyed girl stuttered up an excuse, "Well, I am from a village far away from here. I am sure you have never even heard of it. That is why you have never heard of me."

"Not very likely." Endymion towered over the girl while resting his hands on the tree trunk on either side of her. As he looked into her eyes, he could tell that she was lying to him. He didn't know how he could be so sure, but he was. He just knew this girl was different somehow and her being a telepath was definitely a start. "Even if you were from a village that I have never seen, there are only two people on this Earth who are qualified mages in the art of telepathy. They are the only ones who can train people with the gift."

"Well, how do you know that I did not just happen upon one of them while he or she was passing through town?"

Cobalt eyes narrowed to slits. "Because I know both of them very, VERY well and neither of them would pick up an apprentice while walking through town one day. Anyway, if they trained you, then they would have brought you home with them. Training is a very long, intense process. They wouldn't have been able to adequately-" The eyes that were once closed to slits shot open in realization. Serenity pressed her back even further against the tree behind her in fear. "What am I talking about!" In surprise, the princess relaxed thinking that she was off the hook. That was, until the prince leered over her even more. "Jadeite sent that message exclusively to ME! NOBODY else should have been able to intercept it!"

"Uh…well…" Sky blue pools looked around frantically for an escape. They stopped and opened wide in alarm when a hand tenderly held her chin and turned her attention back to the black haired stranger. His eyes and demeanor had softened considerably from the fierceness they had possessed just moments before.

"Please, just tell me the truth."

"How do you know that I am lying?"

He chuckled at that. "Because you are a horrible liar and," the humor vanished from his face, "I can see something inside of you that is holding back."

Before she could be drawn in by him again, Serenity laughed uneasily and ducked away from him and the tree. "How would you know about anything inside of me? I have barely known you for ten minutes! We have spoken very few words to each other and are acting like we have known each other our whole lives!" She threw her hands up in the air to accentuate her disbelief at the situation.

"Usagi…" His gentle reprimand only served to send her emotions over the edge.

"What? WHAT?" She made fists with her hands as tears pricked the back of her eyes. "Do you want to hear me tell you that I come from a forbidden place? A place SO forbidden that if I were found talking to you right now, I would be imprisoned or maybe even executed! That I did not mean to end up here, but that I am so very glad I did because I love this place like no other. That for some reason, every time my eyes drift to yours, my heart jumps?" Dry sobs wracked her body as she descended to the ground. "I cannot even begin to believe what is happening right now! Here I am, crybaby Usagi, pouring my heart out to someone I have known for a mere second as if…as if…"

"As if we were lovers." Her bowed head shot up to stare at Endymion who she found sitting on the ground a few inches in front of her. "Listen, I do not understand it myself. All I do understand right now is that I cannot ignore what just being next to you does to me. I may barely know you-" She cocked an eyebrow at him. "Okay, fine, I may not know you at all. However, I want to get to know you. There is something about you that makes me want to know your whole life story – where you are from, what your family is like, who your friends are, what you like to do in your free time-"

"You mean, other than caressing the faces of perfect strangers?"

He laughed. "Yes. Other than that."

Before he could start talking again, Serenity shouted, "But it does not make any sense!"

"Why does it matter?"

"What?"

"Why does it _matter_!" Endymion erupted once more and spun away from her. "Damn it, Usagi! Why does everything have to be logical! Why can you not just accept that there is something between us - something strange, something special, something…" As his voice and body started to lose their tension, he turned back to face Serenity and once more knelt on the ground in front of her. He tenderly reached up a hand to brush away some stray tears from her cheeks. Then, he looked into her eyes and finished, "…something wonderful?"

Serenity didn't hesitate in her answer. "Because it scares me." She quickly began to speak again when she saw questions flare up in his eyes. "Things like this do not happen to ordinary people! It takes weeks, months, even years for people to feel comfortable and close and connected to one another. The fact that, and I realize that I continue to bring this up, but that an hour at most has passed since our meeting means that there cannot possibly be anything between us." She lifted her chin in finality. "We simply do not know enough about each other."

A devilish smile came to Endymion's face. "Are you suggesting that if I spent the time to get to know you, then you would acknowledge that there is something mystical between us?" Serenity's eyes widened in protest, but he merely smirked at her while shaking his index finger. "You said yourself that the only things missing between us were time and knowledge."

"But-"

He continued, blatantly ignoring her protests, "So then I shall give you a few hours." He casually stood up and walked over to pick up and put on his shirt. "I must go to dinner now, for fear that if I wait any longer my mother may suffer from a heart attack." With his shirt in place, Endymion sauntered over to untie his horse. "But I will be back after that to talk with you once more. And then we will work on eliminating that knowledge boundary, since my few hours away from you will make you see the futility of your time boundary."

"Why you pompous, arrogant, little-" Her words slipped away as her companion paid them no heed.

He pulled his horse forward the few short steps to Serenity and then squatted down in front of her. Slowly he reached forth and slid the back of his hand lightly across her face. "Until then, my sweet." He leaned forward to give her a peck on the cheek, a smug grin and, finally, he mounted his horse and rode off.

"My sweet…" Serenity dumbly echoed.

End Chapter 1

……….

It's getting a little better, right? Now that the two have met, I can start in on the more interesting stuff...romance, intrigue, etc. -

Please send any comments to me, Sereko.


	3. Chapter 2

Affair by Sereko

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters associated with the story (except for Prince Arian). I merely use Naoko Takeuchi's genius as a starting point for my own storytelling.

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Chapter 2 – A Teaser

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Serenity awaited his return with mixed feelings. To pass the time she walked around the riverbank and studied anything that she could find. It was such a beautiful world that everything she came across she found to be magnificent, especially the sunsets. Less than an hour after Endymion had left, the sun finally fell behind the far mountains. Gorgeous pinks, purples, and oranges spread themselves across the blue sky like a painting. It took her breath away. Then again, that was nothing compared to when the Moon came out of hiding.

She couldn't believe her eyes. Her home. Her birthplace and play place and work place was hovering above her.

It was a full moon that night which only made her jaw drop lower in awe. She had never dreamed that it could look so beautiful. Reaching a hand out above her as if to touch it, she marveled at its brilliant glow. "Home."

Serenity heaved a great sigh and turned away from the Moon's beauty. 'I do not miss it. Not yet, anyway.' Her body grew weary at the remembrance of the event that had landed her on Earth in the first place. With such somber thoughts in her head, she lay down comfortably on the grass. Her gaze lifted to the filtering of the Moon's rays through the tree branches overhead. The patterns the light made through the leaves fell across her form and the surrounding area. A warm breeze swept by and tousled her bangs. The river next to her made sweet, soft sounds as it flowed past. Serenity let her mind wander and pretended to be in an enchanted place with fairies fluttering around her. She smiled.

-----

Endymion frantically looked at the darkening sky. It was late, very late. Angry at their son's tardiness, his parents had done everything to fill his free time. He was only able to get out of the palace and away from the King and Queen, not to mention his guardians, when bedtime had fallen upon him. He had to quietly sneak out of the balcony doors in his room so that he could meet with Serenity. But it was much later than he had hoped. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about her the entire time he was at the palace. He knew she would be waiting and was afraid that she might have left since he was hours past when he had planned on meeting her.

The river and surrounding trees came into view so he commanded his horse to slow to a walk. Once at the edge of the clearing, he dismounted and turned to tie his horse to a tree branch. What he saw when he turned made him stop his movements.

Serenity had managed to lie down in the exact place where he had been sleeping earlier that day. He cautiously approached with his horse's reins still in hand. With a quick glance, he could see that she had fallen asleep. He mentally berated himself for being so late. Hearing a crunch behind him, he swung around to see what was there. It was just his horse having stepped on a fallen leaf. He took a deep breath and berated himself again, but this time for leaving Serenity to meet him in an unguarded area. Something could have happened to her.

Endymion carefully walked over to the side and tied his stallion to a tree branch that would let the animal drink from the river if it wished. With that settled, he stepped back over to his sleeping beauty.

Her golden hair sparkled under the moonlight. It caught his eye and he couldn't help himself from taking a seat next to her to view her more closely. Her pert little mouth was slightly parted as she took her breaths. He held in a laugh at the situation. He no longer needed an explanation as to why Serenity had found the urge to sit by him and stroke his cheek when she had come across him. It was impossible to resist such actions.

With that said, he held out a hand to rest on her flawless skin. The moonlight through the trees seemed to make her look paler than she had that afternoon. It also, however, made her radiate beauty from every pore. She almost seemed to glow, especially with the mop of luxurious blonde hair that fell all around her. She was an angel.

A grin slipped onto Endymion's face when he felt her lean into his hand as she stirred awake. Just as he had, her own hand rose from her side in order to cover his. Serenity let out a little moan and one last deep breath before she left the luring land of sleep. Her eyes opened not knowing what they would see.

"Good morning, sleepy head."

Serenity shot up into a sitting position. "Wha-?" She shook her head to clear it.

"Shh, it is okay." Endymion rested his hand on her shoulder in comfort.

"Where-?" Shaking her head once more, Serenity finally looked at the man sitting next to her. In an instant, she remembered all that had happened earlier that evening. The grass below her was green because she was no longer on her silver Moon. It was hard for her to move freely because she was on the Earth where the gravity made her heavier. There was a man beside her because she had run into him earlier that day when she fled the Moon. "Mamoru."

Endymion smiled. "Yes, it is me. Are you all right?"

"I am fine, just a little disoriented." She brought a hand to her face and massaged the bridge of her nose. "I cannot believe that I fell asleep. In such a strange place, no less."

"I am afraid that may be partly my fault." Serenity looked at him in confusion. "I was planning on being here much earlier, but my parents kept me as busy as humanly possible so I was unable to get away soon enough." Endymion pulled away from his close position with the princess and sat a few feet away instead.

"Yes, well, maybe it is your fault." Raising her chin up high, Serenity continued, "Had you not left in such a hurry with such riddles for words, assuming that I wanted you to return, I would have had no reason to stay." She straightened her posture as she said this, trying to convey a portentous exterior while her interior fluttered as though a thousand butterflies lived inside. "Then, I could be home in a nice warm bed instead of out in the middle of a forest."

"I am truly sorry for having caused you such great discomfort. Is this your way of telling me that you wished I had not returned tonight?"

Serenity's eyes widened. "What has that got to do with anything? I was merely saying that your pompous attitude-"

"It has got everything to do with it." Once again, the princess found herself mere inches from the prince. "I told you when I left that I would make you see the futility of the time boundary you set up. Have I succeeded?"

Endymion gazed innocently into her eyes, a smirk lifting his lips. Serenity had to restrain herself from throwing caution to the wind and letting his eyes take away her resolve. "I…well, that is to say…you see…um…" With her last ounce of stubbornness, she tore her eyes away from his and stared at the creek instead.

"I will take that as a yes."

Serenity's head sprung back to its previous position. "I did not-" She paused in her outburst when Endymion began to chuckle. "Are you laughing at me, sir?" Her eyes blazed with fire at this.

"You are the most stubborn person that I have ever met," he laughed, ignoring her question. "You cannot even admit when you find yourself in the wrong."

"Well, I never!" With a huff, she diverted her attention again to the stream beside her.

Sobering up slightly, Endymion leaned over Serenity so that his lips barely brushed her ear as he spoke. "Do you mean to tell me that you do not feel drawn to me right now – that I must be in your company for some months before you can fall victim to the bond between us?"

Serenity's spine shook with shivers. She could hardly restrain herself from melting into a little puddle at his feet. He had the unbelievably wonderful ability of making her want to kiss him at the strangest moments. 'No! I will _not_ give into this! It is simply not right!' Before she understood what was happening, the prince drew away from his precarious position and settled himself on the grass a foot away. Serenity turned her head to stare at him, only to find that he was lying down with his hands behind his head and his eyes closed. 'What is he doing?'

"If it is simply not right," here he paused to take a deep breath, "then why does every bone in my body scream at me that this is what I have been waiting for my entire life?"

It only took another second for Serenity to realize that she must have accidentally said the last bit of her thoughts out loud. "I…," her voice trailed off as she tried to figure out what she wanted to say to him. "I am sorry, but I do not know." She could feel his disappointment. Finally shoving her pride aside, Serenity turned towards him and whispered, "All I do know is that every bone in my body screams that very same thing."

The prince's eyes opened cautiously. Not daring to look at her, he whispered back, "What did you just say?"

Serenity lay down next to him, finally biting the bullet and giving up her pointless fight. She heaved a great sigh and then spoke, "I said that I feel the same way. I…I am just scared. I have never had emotions race so impulsively before and I do not know what to do."

"Then do not do anything." With a genuine smile upon his face, Endymion propped his upper body up on his arms so that he could look down upon the princess. "Just let things happen by themselves."

"Okay." Relaxing in the warm summer atmosphere, Serenity lazily gazed up at the stars above her. She admired the Moon once more, marveling at its brilliance. "The Moon is so beautiful from here."

"Is it not also beautiful in your home town?"

"Oh! Well, yes. Of course it is. It-It just seems to shine more brightly here, that is all." The princess berated herself for letting the comment slip. She had almost forgotten that she was pretending to live on the Earth.

"Where are you from, Usagi?" questioned Endymion.

Serenity froze. 'Oh, Mamoru. Why must you ask me all these questions that I must answer with a lie?' She had always been passionate about honesty. One of the biggest problems that she had with her mother was that the Queen constantly lied to her. Unfortunately, she knew of no other way to answer Endymion. She couldn't tell him the truth, that was for sure. He would never believe that she was fro-

"You are not from around here, are you?"

"Wh-What do you mean, Mamoru?"

Endymion sighed. He carefully shifted his position so that he was leaning over Serenity, his hand lightly touching the side of her face. When she opened her eyes to look up at him, he spoke, "You are different than anyone I have ever met. You have this presence about you that no one on Earth has."

"I do not know what you are talking about. I am sure that you have not met every single person on this Earth and, therefore, you have no idea if there is someone else like me or not."

"No, I am sure of this." He paused in order to stare deeply into her eyes. "I think you come from the Moon, Usagi." Serenity gasped.

End Chapter 2

-------------

So? Did anyone like it? I know it's not much, but hopefully I will be able to write more soon. I do so miss all my sappy, waffy little interludes with Mamoru and Usagi. - Please tell me what you think, for that is what I am using as inspiration. The more feedback I receive for a story, the more excited I tend to get and that results in me writing. Stay tuned!

Please send ANY comments to me, Sereko. My e-mail is: 


	4. Chapter 3

Affair by Sereko

I was actually visited by inspiration not too long ago, so all sorts of plots started to stream out of my mind and into my computer. I hope the inspiration stays, because I'm really excited about this story and I always enjoy being able to write in it (most of the time I just sit reading what I have and trying to see if a light will go off in my head that will lead me to the formation of another scene -). Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this! A lot of this stuff I was not planning on having happen when I initially thought up the story, but what the heck! New stuff is fun:)

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters associated with the story (except for Prince Arian). I merely use Naoko Takeuchi's genius as a starting point for my own storytelling.

……….

Chapter 3

……….

Without taking note of her reaction, Endymion continued, "for it is a place where angels are born and you are definitely an angel."

The princess let out the breath that she was holding. "Such nonsense, Mamoru. I am not nor have I ever been an angel."

His head drooped closer to hers. "You are an angel to me." His breath tickled her cheeks as he continued. "You came down from the heavens in order to strike me through the heart with your beauty and spirit."

A delicate blush graced the princess's cheeks. "You flatter me, sir, and yet you still do not know of whom you are complimenting."

"I know enough." He let a heartwarming smile light up his face. "I know what I feel and that is enough. The rest shall come later." Here he paused and worry creased his brow. "That is, if there is to be a later…"

Thoughts raced through Serenity's head. 'You can end this here, Sere. You can just tell him no and forget all of this oddness.' However, one glance up into his fathomless eyes quickly canceled that train of thought. 'No. No, he is right. There is something…something wonderful between us. I do not know what and I cannot completely explain it…but I know that I don't want to throw away this chance to be free from loneliness.'

And so, Serenity stayed lying next to Endymion under the stars. Neither of them spoke much. They were both too afraid to let anything slip about who they really were and where they really came from. The desire to make their relationship a product of something other than political gain was intense. Both of them understood what it was like to be interpreted due to their royal standing and both of them did not like it.

Peacefully and quietly they basked in each other's comforting presence. Dawn eventually came upon them, lighting their little cove with a sheen of red. In the haze of the new morning, they both rose in order to say goodbye. It was a quiet goodbye, following the mood set by their hours of stargazing. No formal farewells actually slipped past either of their lips because neither wanted to officially end their meeting. This way, they had a reason to see each other again…there was something that would need finishing.

Endymion lifted a hand of Serenity's to his lips as he gave a gracious bow. While she nodded her head in a similar gesture of respect, the prince slipped past her. He squeezed her hand one last time before mounting his horse and leaving the glade. Serenity watched him go solemnly. 'I shall see you again. I swear to it.'

…..

Unbeknownst to either of them, Serenity would not be able to keep that promise for quite some time. Shortly after Endymion left her, while the princess was mulling about the forest to see all that Mother Nature had to offer, she vanished. She would never know what caused it. One moment she was touching the moss on the side of a pine tree and the next she was surrounded in the familiar silvers and whites of the Moon. Serenity merely had to assume that something thought her time on Earth had come to some sort of conclusion and that she should leave. No answers would ever be found. Just as the princess would never come to realize how she had managed to teleport herself to Earth in the first place, she would never realize how she had teleported back. Perhaps it was fate.

…..

"Sere! There you are!" The call was soon accompanied by a hand on her shoulder. After arriving back on the Moon, Serenity was quick to take a direct path to her room at the palace. She had just entered one of the hallways when her friend noticed her. She turned in greeting.

"Hello, Ami." Her demeanor was calm and collected, as if nothing at all had happened in the past day. As if she had not run away from her mother, as if she had not transported to the Earth and as if she had not just met the most wonderful man to have ever crossed her path.

"Do not even pretend to act ignorant of the worry that I have felt for you!" The elegant and slim lady followed her statement with a chastising look. A strand of blue hair slipped into her eyes and she brushed it away irritably. "Where have you been?" Her attempt at anger failed because of the waver in her question.

Serenity observed her friend for a second before answering, "I went for a walk." To herself she added, 'A walk into another world.'

"A walk that took all night! A walk that failed to land you in my room where you could have informed me of your flight for the evening?" Again her friend tried to seem angry, furious even. This time it was the water in her eyes that gave her away. Under her breath she whispered, "I was worried sick about you."

"I am sorry, my friend. I needed a change of scenery." Serenity looked out the window next to her at the blue planet hovering in the sky. Shaking her head, she returned her attention to Sailor Mercury. With more reassuring words and a hug, she coerced her friend out of tears and down the hall with her. It was hard for her to refrain from speaking the whole truth to her dearest companion, but she had to. She fully intended on finding a way back to Earth and it would be harder to do so unnoticed if she told even just one person. She could not risk an unwelcome ear catching the whispers of her conversations with Mercury, were she to tell the guardian. There were too many risks at hand.

Once at her room, Serenity excused herself to the bathroom to freshen up and change. At this time, Mercury filled her in on the violent reaction the Queen had to her departure the day before. In extreme anger, with fists clenched, the monarch had released her tension upon the wall beside her. A dent was made, despite it being made of stone. The senshi had to stifle their giggles at her frustration and could only release them until they were safely within their bedrooms. By merely describing the red, puffed up face the Queen had the second Serenity had fled the conference room, Mercury was inclined to giggle again.

Serenity returned from the bathroom with a smile on her face. "Sounds like something I should not have missed!"

"You would have loved it, Sere! She was so angry!" Mercury made an imitation of the Queen's red face and promptly burst into laughter.

"All right, all right," Serenity said while waving away her own laughter, "enough of this! What is the agenda for today?"

"Other than avoiding your mother's reprimand?"

"Yes. Other than that."

Mercury pulled out her handheld computer and punched in a few buttons. "It seems that you not only have a meeting with the son of King Arian from Mars, but you are also scheduled for three conferences with the Agricultural Labor Union, the Union of Academic Advancement and the servants' supervisors." Mercury let a bit of pride for her princess swell within her as she read off the last group. Serenity was very passionate about bettering the working conditions of the attendants in the household. She didn't enjoy the concept of other people waiting upon her. She made regular appointments with the supervisors just to make sure that everything was running smoothly and everyone was happy.

When Mercury stopped talking, the princess nodded her head and then slowly walked over to her balcony. She opened the large glass doors that led to it and walked out into the open. Taking a long, deep breath of the fresh air, she placed her hands delicately on the railing in front of her. Her eyes closed as she absorbed the atmosphere.

A soft touch on her shoulder made her turn. It was Mercury wearing a worried frown. "It everything all right, princess?" Serenity upturned her face to look at the sky. Earth, in all its glory, hovered above. Turning to face her friend once more, the royal gave a small smile.

"Everything will be."

With that puzzling answer, Serenity walked back into her room and then out the door. Mercury hurried behind her.

…..

Skirts and pants swished as the prince of Mars and the princess of the Moon walked alongside one another through the palace halls. The mood was light, yet serious. "That is wonderful, Prince Ar-" With a quick look, Serenity checked the halls around her and when she was sure that no one was within hearing range she smiled. The princess turned to Prince Arian with a smirk on her face. "Ari-chan!" He returned her smile at the childhood nickname. "I am greatly impressed by the advancements your cities have made in ensuring education for females. It is an honor to stand with one who has worked so hard and so magnanimously."

The prince was still smiling and gave a nod at the compliment. He chucked her shoulder after a while and followed it up with a tickle to her abdomen. The twinkle of Serenity's laugh echoed through the halls.

"I am glad you think so highly of me, highness." To his right, the main entrance to the royal gardens fell into view.

In a split second, Arian had grabbed the crook of Serenity's arm and threw them both through the wide arches. "However! I have spent nearly an hour with you already and you have yet to give me a true smile!" As he yelled this, he carted Serenity through the intricate walkways of the gardens at a brisk sprint.

"Ari-chan! Stop this!"

There was no response, except for Arian to hold her hand tighter as he pulled her along.

"Ari-chan! Please! What if someone sees us?"

The threat didn't seem to bother the prince. After a few more moments he reached a secluded gazebo and slowed his and his cargo's pace until they were at a standstill. He swiftly turned to the blonde behind him. "If someone sees us, then they will simply assume that the gracious Princess Serenity is having a good time with her friend, the Prince of Mars."

She shook her head, shaking the growing smile on her face as well. "No. They will think that you and I are courting." She was slightly shocked when she felt Arian walk up to her and lift her chin with his hand.

"Is that so horrible?" He brushed his fingers against her cheek. Shivers shook Serenity's spine. The gesture reminded her too much of another man who, just hours before, had done the same thing.

A shadow nearby, who had witnessed all of the actions so far between the two monarchs, slipped away unnoticed.

Suddenly unsure of herself, Serenity stumbled over her words. "A-Ari…"

A concerned smile slipped onto the prince's face. His hand fell so that he could wrap his friend in a gentle hug. His rich brown hair brushed against her neck as he pulled her to him. "I was teasing, Serenity. I was just teasing. But why is it that you responded so?" He pulled away just enough to look at her face. "You have always been able to see through my jokes before."

"I…I am sorry." Pulling away, Serenity attempted to compose herself.

"Sere. What is it?"

"Nothing," she all but shouted.

…..

With a devilish smile, the shadowy figure crept back into the palace. 'I never knew, princess. I never knew.' It strode with purpose through the long, elegant hallways. Guards posted along the way clicked their heels and saluted as the figure passed by. It gave them a slight head nod, too concerned with its new mission to pay them any more attention.

After a brisk, five minute walk, the figure reached a set of very large doors. The two men posted on each side of them saluted and immediately pushed open the elaborate and intricately carved doors so that the figure could enter. Once inside, it took mere moments for the figure to stand before a beautiful throne with an equally beautiful woman sitting upon it.

"To what do I owe this visit?" a delicate, yet commanding voice rang through the halls of the court. Whispers filtered among the people gathered within the room about the urgence that radiated from the kneeling figure in front of their queen.

Without hesitation, a distinctly feminine voice spoke, "Your majesty, I have pressing news that you must be informed of," dark eyes darted around to the members of court dotting the walls and added, "privately."

A slim, silvery-white eyebrow rose on the queen's forehead. Intruiged, the leader of the Moon lifted from her chair and motioned for the woman in front of her to follow. She walked to the side and down the steps of her dais, flicking her wrist to tell a guard to open a nearby door. After entering, she seated herself behind a large, mahogany desk. It took less than a second for Queen Serenity to ask, "What do you have to tell me, Mars?"

The senshi stood from her respectful kneel. In a toneless voice and with a raised chin, she said, "It is my duty to inform the queen that I have just witnessed her daughter engaging in affectionate actions."

"Affectionate actions? With whom?"

"With the Prince Arian of Mars, my brother."

Again, the queen raised her eyebrow. "What did you see her do?"

"I bore witness to the Princess Serenity running wildly in the gardens with hands held with Prince Arian. I heard her call him a name reserved for those who are extremely close to one another. He, likewise, had a similar nickname for her. I was also witness to the prince performing more," she coughed, "intimate actions while implying to the princess that it would not be unfortunate if the two were engaged."

Queen Serenity gripped the arm of her chair. "Is this the truth, Mars?"

"I saw it all first hand, your highness."

"I was not aware that my daughter held any strong feelings for any of the men of court. I was under the distinct impression that she did not wish to be at all involved with any of them."

"I was under the same impression, your highness."

A slender finger lightly tapped upon Queen Serenity's chin. "This is all very interesting. It is even more interesting that Prince Arian seems to return these affections of my daughter."

"If I may say so, your highness, I believe that my brother may be in love with Princess Serenity. I have never seen him act so smitten before."

Eyes widened. "In love?"

Mars bowed her head, "Yes, your highness."

Queen Serenity couldn't help herself from standing up and pacing behind the desk. "It was very good of you to bring this to my attention so quickly. Though my daughter and I do disagree on several issues, I did hope that a situation would arise to prevent me from forcing her into a political marriage. I shall make arrangements as soon as possible with your father so that we might be able to bring these two together officially. It will not do to have them courting each other in secret." She clasped her hands together and let a wide smile slip onto her face. "At last, my daughter has done something right! This is simply perfect!" she squealed, letting her demeanor as monarch slip.

…..

Arian sighed and turned away in order grasp the gazebo's railing. "My visit was intended as a meeting to solidify our arrangements for study abroad programs, with a little time to catch up on the side. However, it seems something is troubling you. It has been a long time, Sere, but I know you well enough to understand when your life is less than perfect." Here, he turned. "Please, tell me what happened? Was it your mother again? What did she do this time? I swear if she-"

Serenity violently shook her head. "Stop. She was the reason for the beginning of my predicament, but she is not the reason for what resulted." Slowly, she let her eyes drift to his. They were a deep auburn color, not brown and almost red. They held the intensity of Mars in them, but also the compassion of his mother, Queen Terai. His hair was of a similar color, though it only had hints of red hidden within layers of dark brown. His stature was about the only physical feature he acquired from his father. It was commanding in a lean, muscled sort of way. His height was an average 5'8", nothing too overbearing.

He had accompanied his younger sister on her transfer to the Moon many years before, which is the only reason why Serenity had any encounter with him. Princess Reianna of Mars was one of the first to make it to the Moon, right after Mercury and Uranus, when the princesses were called in for senshi duty. Though all the young senshi in training met each other and their princess when they were younger, they trained on their own home planets for the first eight or so years of their life. They had to master the magic of their planet before they could use it efficiently somewhere else.

Arian had come with his sister and mother in order to tour the Moon, since he had never seen it before. The first second he laid a foot upon the soft, silver soil was all that was needed for him to fall in love with the majestic place. The fragile, angelic princess that came into his view afterwards was equally as quick at abducting his heart. Serenity and Arian clicked together immediately, as if they were cut from the same cloth, and ever since then they had been dear friends.

There was a sigh.

"I did something foolish, Ari-chan."

"No. You did something dangerous, something wrong. Mere foolishness would not trouble your mind so," interrupted Arian.

Serenity sighed again. "'Tis true. I did something forbidden." This did not shock Arian as much as it might have shocked someone else from court. He was very close to the slip of a girl in front of him and that meant that he knew her true nature. He knew that she desired adventure and excitement over other attributes that were more becoming of a princess.

He walked over to her and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Serenity." When she didn't respond, he continued, "Tell me what happened. What did you do?"

Without warning, the princess threw herself into the prince, embracing him about the waist and burying her head in his shoulder. "Ari-chan…you would not believe me if I told you…no one would believe me…"

As carefully as he could, Arian stroked his friend's back and placed a kiss on the top of her head. "My dear Sere, just tell me. Let me be the judge of if I believe you or not."

And so, the entire story was told. Starting from the argument with the queen and moving all the way until the relaxing gaze at the stars, Serenity bared her heart. She told Arian, in fear, of the intensity of the emotions that coursed through her so quickly after meeting the man from Earth. She was nearing tears by the end of her tale after having spoken of so many hidden desires.

"I do not believe you."

Serenity looked up with wide eyes at her friend's reaction. "W-What?"

Taking a step back, Arian processed all of the information that was thrown at him. "It…It is not possible. I knew you were one to crave new things, Sere, but I never knew you to disregard every law set by your people in the matter of a day!" He shakily raked a hand through his hair. "Not to mention that it is impossible to build up enough power to perform such a distant teleport within the body of a single person. Maybe with powers such that the Silver Imperium Crystal possesses, but not merely with the strength of a wish!" Violently, he turned his attentions back to Serenity. "How? How did you manage it?"

Serenity was shivering intensely, not only because of the revealing of her adventure but also because of her dear friend's reactions to it. She weakly responded, "I told you that I do not know how it happened, it just did. But, please Ari-chan, you must promise me something! Even if you do not believe me and think that I have fabricated this story, you must promise that you will not tell another soul about it! You must!" Arian was still in too much of a shocked stupor to react or answer her. This left her desperate. "Please! Ari-chan, you must understand that I did not mean for this to happen! I just wanted to get away, to be free of my mother and her biting words. I…I did not expect to land upon Earth and I did not expect to meet someone while I was there. I did not intend-"

"To fall in love."

The princess gasped. She stepped back as if physically struck. "No! No, I did not fall-"

"Yes. Yes you did," Arian interrupted again with conviction. He stepped forward and enfolded Serenity in his arms. With newfound calmness and understanding, he proceeded, "You were right when you said that you did something forbidden. To what extent I did not know, but I do now." He pulled her closer to him.

Serenity was at first confused and struggled against the prince, but she eventually stilled herself.

"No wonder my teasings hit you so hard. You were thinking of him the entire time."

At this, Serenity gained enough strength to protest. She pulled back against his strong arms to look defiantly up at him. "Now look here, Arian. I am glad that you do not think me a liar in telling this story, but you must know that I did not fall in love!"

"Felt a bit of attraction, maybe even passion at one point, but NOT love!" she grumbled.

Arian continued as if he hadn't heard her protests. "You do not have to worry about me spreading the news to anyone. I would never put you in such a dangerous position. But know that I am always here if you need to talk to me about what happened."

Taking it as good fortune that he dropped the love issue, Serenity dumbly nodded her head at his words. "I am not even sure why I told you in the first place. I refrained from telling Ami-chan for fear that someone would overhear me and then I turned around and practically screamed it all out to you."

"You needed to tell someone," he replied sympathetically.

End Chapter 3

……….

I know, I know. Kind of corny, right? What can I say? I'm a huge sucker for sap, so if you don't like overly waffy fics...this is not the story for you! Please send feedback! I'm always excited to see mail in my inbox! -

Please send ANY comments to me, Sereko.


	5. Chapter 4

Affair by Sereko

Not much Usa/Mamo time in this one, but I can't write the entire story without including other characters (well, I could...but let's not go there)!

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters associated with the story (except for Prince Arian). I merely use Naoko Takeuchi's genius as a starting point for my own storytelling.

……….

Chapter 4

……….

A deep, droning voice echoed in Endymion's head. Usually, he was very active and attentive during political meetings, but he was unable to focus this time. He was running on little to no sleep and it was becoming increasingly harder for him to keep his eyes open.

Someone banged a hand upon the conference table, which caused Endymion to jump in his seat. Looking over he saw that the commotion came from the noble King of Asia. He was arguing over some matter or another. The last time that Endymion had heard anything the topic of conversation was centered on trade, but he highly doubted those negotiations were the reason for King Sylkia's anger. A sigh passed through his lips. He looked blankly at the conference table while picking imaginary lint off of it.

…

"All right. What was all that about?" said Jadeite.

Endymion turned as they exited the room and gave him a puzzled look. "What are you talking about?" Without letting his guardian answer, he continued on through the hall towards an open-air balcony. Walking out into the warm atmosphere, he approached the railing and looked out upon the vast green fields before him. In the sky above, a faint outline of the moon could be seen through the bright rays of the sun. He let a sigh escape him for the second time that morning.

She was gone.

Which would've been fine, except that he missed her. Missed her! Endymion shook his head. 'What has come over me? Too act like such a lovesick puppy is not in my nature.' He nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt a hand fall upon his shoulder.

It was Kunzite. He caught up with Jadeite and his prince once they left the conference. He was supposed to lead them to the prince's next meeting, but the two men never made it to him. The captain of the guard became even more anxious when he saw Jadeite standing worriedly in the hallway. Before he could ask about the melancholy of his fellow guard, he noticed his prince standing forlornly on the nearby balcony.

"Endymion," he intoned with concern.

The other man did not respond for a while. When he did, his voice was tight and strained. "What is it, Kunzite?"

If the white-haired general was worried before, he was frantically afraid now. Nothing had ever troubled the prince so greatly for him to act like this. There might have been one other time in the young man's entire life, when a treasured pet died or something to that extent, that such emotions burdened him. Kunzite was at a slight loss as to how to help his friend and realized that this was why Jadeite was standing listlessly in the hallway. He, too, did not know how to approach the situation.

"You did not meet me so that we could attend the second trade organization conference."

Conference? 'That is the least of my worries right now. If I could not concentrate in the first one, how am I supposed to in the second?'

"Endymion?"

"Cancel it."

Kunzite sharply raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me, your highness?"

Finally turning to his closest guardian, Endymion repeated, "I said to cancel it. I am unable to attend."

"If I am not mistaken, sire, you are not sick and you have no other engagements. Why, therefore, are you unable to attend?"

"Because!" erupted Endymion. He had to take a deep breath before lowering his flailing arms and attempting to speak again. He closed his eyes to keep control. "I just cannot manage it right now." He took a deep breath. "Please inform the delegates that they should continue the negotiations without me."

Jadeite was the one who ended up informing the delegates since Kunzite wanted to stay behind to talk with his liege. He ensured the younger general that he would get to the bottom of this matter. He leaned his back against the railing of the balcony so that he could peer at Endymion through the corner of his eye. There was silence for a few, long minutes. "So, are you going to inform me of what is bothering you or am I going to have to guess?"

"There is nothing wr-"

"Do not even try to finish that sentence." It was Kunzite's turn to sigh. "There is obviously something on your mind. When I instructed Jadeite to do your bidding, he informed me that you had phased out completely during the entire meeting with the eastern trade organizations. You did not even interrupt when King Sylkia demanded a drop in export taxes but an increase on imports."

"I was merely listening. I was trying to let King Sylkia and his neighbors work out their problems on their own."

"That is not your job! You know it, too. You always keep the peace and declare fair compromises. So, I will ask you again, what is bothering you? What has turned your mind so completely from the affairs of state that used to excite you?"

A slight breeze ruffled past the two men. Endymion ran a hand through his hair to tame the windblown tresses. Here he was, an incredibly attractive man who also happened to be the crown prince of an entire planet. He could have any girl he wanted. Yet, he found himself drifting off and lacking in his duties because of the small, slip of a girl who he had barely known for more than a day.

"You can tell me, Endy. What is troubling you?" This caught Endymion's attention. Kunzite was known to never drop proper protocol, even when there were no officials present. For him to call the prince by his nickname had serious implications.

"It is nothing, Kunz. Do not worry over me so much," said Endymion as he took a sideways glance at the older man whom he considered a brother.

"I cannot help it. Especially when something affects you so strongly." Another long silence passed between them as Endymion continued to gaze out at the kingdom beyond the palace.

Without warning, he whispered, "Do you believe in love at first sight?"

Kunzite was taken aback by this comment. "Love at first sight?"

"I suppose I should begin by asking if you believe in love before I delve into love at first sight." The prince could feel his friend's eyes boring into the back of his head.

"Excuse me if I am slightly bewildered by your question, highness. You have never once mentioned love even throughout all of the various relationships and women you have had." The mind of Kunzite was going haywire with this information. His prince, playboy extraordinaire, was troubled with thoughts of love? It was a simple woman that managed to plague his mind during his political meetings? He must have heard wrong.

Endymion bent his head. "Yes, I know. I just wanted to know what you thought about it. Do you think it exists? And if so, what does it feel like?"

"I am not sure if I am the person you should be asking about this."

There was an incredulous expression. "Kunzite, despite your formalities that make me seem like a distant cousin, I consider you my closest friend. You are the only person that I can ask."

Kunzite took a moment. "Then, my answer is yes. I do believe in love, Endymion. I believe that two people can be meant for each other and, when brought together, I believe they complete one another as well. It is a struggle to find this person, but if one accomplishes it, it is one of the greatest feelings in the world. You just know. One minute, you are standing there giving orders and the next she walks in the door and takes your breath away. She is the one you have been waiting for. She is your match. You just know it." After drifting off into his own little world, Kunzite shook his head and returned his attention to the prince.

Endymion was standing there with a cocked eyebrow. "It sounds as if you speak from experience. Do you, Kunzite? Is there something you have not been telling me?"

The general shyly turned away as a slight blush crept upon his cheeks.

"Kunzite!" shouted a shocked Endymion. He had always known the man before him to be rigid, stoic and demanding. Never would he have imagined he might once catch Kunzite blushing like a little girl.

The man in question stepped away from his liege in order to assume a position on the edge of the balcony much like the one Endymion had been in earlier. A small, uncharacteristic smile snuck onto his face. "You would love her, Endy. She is beautiful and powerful and caring…she is my other half."

Before Endymion could ask any questions, Kunzite cut him off, "I am sorry to say that this is not a recent development," he paused to look at the prince's reaction, "It has been almost a year since it started." Endymion just blinked in astonishment, still shocked by the gooey and sappy way his commanding friend was acting. "Do not think that I have kept this from you for so long without purpose. We have both kept it rather quiet for a single, important reason. One that I cannot tell you, my liege." This surprised the prince even more than finding out that Kunzite was in love. Kunzite was not a man to disobey orders or to withhold any information, no matter how personal, from his prince. He continued softly, "We do not get to see each other very often. But I crave every moment I have with her."

"God," Endymion breathed. "I never thought that I would see the day."

"Neither did I."

…..

Starlight joined with the soft light of candles in brightening the Queen's study. Nighttime had just fallen, but her duties for the day were far from over. With a curl of her lips and the wave of her hand, Queen Serenity motioned for Mars to connect her holographic call. Moments later, the shaky and rough image of a man formed above a small display stand.

"Good evening, Queen Serenity."

"Good evening, King Arian. Thank you for speaking with me on such short notice."

"I fear I had no choice in the matter, milady. By the tone of my daughter, I was lead to believe that this issue could not wait for anything."

The queen sent a slightly disapproving look to the young senshi who shyly ducked in response. "Yes well, I wanted to address it immediately."

"And what, may I ask, is it?"

Taking a calming breath, Queen Serenity intoned, "I was informed earlier today that my daughter and your son have been secretly courting each other."

"What?"

The monarch of the Moon gave King Arian a moment to regroup himself. She waited patiently for him to continue.

"To say that I was unaware of this would be an understatement, your majesty."

"I was also greatly unaware of it until just this afternoon." The queen smiled. And now was when the plan was to be made. "Though I was shocked, I must say that I was definitely pleased by the news. A time was reaching when I would have had to resort to drastic measures to ensure my daughter's familial future." The queen held back a greater smile at her coming words. "I wished to speak with you about these developments, to see if we could not come to some kind of arrangement."

King Arian shot a skeptical look. "What type of arrangement?"

"The type that results in marriage."

The queen tapped her foot impatiently as she waited again for the king to compose himself.

"I must inform your highness that I am already in the process of solidifying a bride for my son."

A slight scowl marred the queen's face. This was an unwanted obstacle. How would she convince him to reject one bride in favor of another?

"However." Hope jumped upon Queen Serenity.

"Your daughter is a very influential woman with much power, both physically and politically. Most of all, it seems that my son favors her and she him. I would be willing to cancel my previous preparations in light of this newly discovered attraction. It is my greatest wish that my son find happiness and if it happens to be with your daughter, then so be it. I would be happy to contract an engagement with you, highness, as long as I have proof that what you are saying is true."

Queen Serenity thought her face would tear apart were she to smile any wider. Of course, that was on the inside. Outside, her visage was that of a calm and collected monarch. "The proof you request is right here, milord." She motioned to the young senshi Mars and the woman stepped forth to be viewed by the hologram.

With a small smile to her father, not to be caught by the queen, Mars said, "It is my pleasure to tell you, King Arian, that I personally witnessed affectionate actions being passed between the prince and princess. I was only a few feet away when I saw them enchant each other with intimate touches and names."

The king was slightly shocked to see his daughter step into view. He had not seen her in such a long time, due to his own schedule and the lack of vacations allotted to senshi. The familiar, raven black hair that swung behind her back was one of the only things that he could recognize. "Truly, Anna?"

It was impossible for the senshi not to reel back from the name. She had almost forgotten that her father used to always refer to her that way. The pet name melted her heart and she could barely keep herself from reaching forth and touching the image in front of her. "I…um…yes, yes, your majesty," she stumbled.

"Then the engagement is on," the king stated without hesitation. He glanced behind the image of his sweet Reianna to that of Queen Serenity. "I will have my assistant write up formal documents immediately. When they are ready, I will have them sent to you through a secure currier. They will only require your signature, since I will have already placed my own upon them, and then they will become official and binding. I look forward to speaking with you again soon, your highness."

"As do I, King Arian."

…..

It had been three full weeks since her meeting with Endymion, each one more grueling than the last. Serenity was initially flighty in her duties, oftentimes her fellow members of court gossiped that she was daydreaming. As the weeks passed, however, Serenity became less flighty and more depressed. She threw herself headlong into her work, trying to rid her mind of fanciful visions of a man from Earth. Her mother took this as a good sign. Not only was her daughter acting even more responsible with her duties than normal, but she also, consequently, was spending more time with Arian whilst she worked with the academic negotiations.

It was true, the princess was spending much time with the Prince of Mars. Her meetings with him tended to run long because she found that he was the only one that she could confide in about her emotional turmoil. She usually did not speak too much past her negotiations with him about the educational advances, but Arian was very able to discern her sour moods regardless.

He would simply sit with her. No words needed to be spoken as he comforted her with an arm around the shoulder. Her silent pain called for his silent compassion.

…..

It was a few days later when Serenity found herself restless. She unceremoniously carted herself out of bed, threw on a robe and marched out of her bedroom door. Her only confidante was a planet away tucked into his nice, little, Martian bed and she was left alone to brood.

The thought of waking Mercury flittered through her head for a moment before she shook it away. Serenity needed to find solace in one who knew all of her secrets and since neither Endymion nor Arian were rightly available, she would have to turn to her gardens instead.

Barely had a foot been laid upon the garden's ground when Serenity heard the tinkle of a laugh. Immediately intrigued, the princess cautiously wandered deeper through the trees and flowers in search of the owner of the voice.

It was as she was turning the last corner that Serenity heard another voice. This second one was much deeper than the first, which was why she did not readily hear it. In a split second, she stepped back around the corner as to not be seen.

Since she was up for anything that would take her mind off of her own problems, the regal and gracious Princess of the Moon resorted to burying herself within a nearby bush and eavesdropping upon the two in the cove next door.

…

A thankful moan filled the thin air of the Moon. "That feels wonderful," the moan's owner continued. The man behind her was brushing his magic hands over her back and working out the horrible kink that she had received there earlier that day in training. It had been troubling her all day.

After a few more moments, the woman turned and stilled the man's hands. She smiled up at him. "Thank you."

Taking the woman's hands within his own, the man smiled back. "It was nothing. I am glad that it made you feel better."

"Mmmm, much better." A sly smirk crossed her face to replace her smile. She giggled despite herself. At this her partner raised an eyebrow but was left baffled when she didn't explain her actions.

As a silence crept between them, the man grew slightly serious. He raised a hand and gently let it run across the woman's cheek. "I missed you."

The woman closed her eyes thoughtfully while catching the man's hand. "I missed you, too. I wish I could see you more often. I wish it were permissible." She let her head fall lightly to his chest. She sighed as if the world lay on her shoulders. "I wish we both were not so bogged down with our duties…I wish we were allowed to be together."

"As do I, Min. As do I."

He slowly removed her forehead from his chest and raised her chin so that he could lean down and lay a gentle kiss upon her lips.

…

Serenity gasped. 'Min? MIN! Min as in Minara, Princess of Venus, and acting leader of the Sailor Senshi!'

'I knew that voice sounded familiar!'

Taking a quick peek around the bend to confirm her suspicions, she saw the captain of her guard caught in a lip-lock with a tall, white-haired man. The princess quickly turned back and heaved a great, hyperventilating breath. 'Someone please tell me that I did not just catch the Senshi of Venus in a forbidden affair!'

Serenity took several heaving gasps of air to calm herself. She couldn't believe that this was happening. What was the likelihood that just as she became entangled in an unlawful love life she would find her senshi in one too?

She had to calm herself. She was the High Princess of the Moon Kingdom and she knew how to deal with surprising situations effectively. Straightening her shoulders, Serenity gathered up some courage and confidently walked into the cove to meet her friend.

(However, she did pause to make sure that the two had stopped kissing first.)

…

Venus felt a chill as she pulled away from her lover. The atmosphere had suddenly changed from safe and warm to biting and crisp. Before the senshi had time to realize why her emotional sensors were going haywire, she saw something coming around the bend of the garden's natural wall.

There was a sharp intake of breath.

Her companion turned to see what she had seen and he, himself, gasped at the sight.

As Venus took a few steps away from the oncoming intruder, she fished around for some sort of story or excuse.

"Do not bother."

Startled, sky blue eyes looked up. "W-What?" Venus stumbled as she straightened her posture and locked her arms behind her back. She coughed and said again in a less squeaky voice, "What, your majesty?"

Serenity frowned at the reaction she was receiving. "Do not bother finding an excuse for why I have found you like this. I do not want to hear it." The words came out more harshly than the princess had originally intended and it caused the other two people to stiffen slightly.

"Of course not, your majesty."

She sighed. She did not mean to instill this type of coldness. She tried again. "Stop that, Venus. I am not here to scold you or yell at you or to take away this fine young man and never let you see him again." Venus still did not drop her guard. The princess took a few more steps forward and lowered her head. Surprisingly, it was this action that loosened both the man and Venus's shoulders. By bowing her head, Serenity implied that she spoke as a friend and not as a princess. They were on safer ground.

"I can explain, princess."

When Serenity raised her head, a smile was firmly planted upon her face. "There is no need, majesty."

"Oh, please do not address me so formally, highness."

Smirking, Serenity replied, "Then the same goes for you. We are both of the same station, my friend. The fact that you serve as the captain of my guard in no ways implies that you are of a lower status. We are both princesses."

"Yes, your highness." Serenity gave a reproving look that Venus returned with an innocent shrug.

Giving up, the Moon Princess returned to her main priority. "As I was saying before, there is no need for an explanation." She sent a caring smile to the man beside her senshi. "It is obvious that the two of you are in love."

"How did-"

"I am ashamed to admit that I overheard that last of your conversation. Forgive me for that." She gave a slight bow of her head. "But there is no harm done. Though I am aware of the serious implications that are connected with your relationship, I believe that there is nothing that love cannot find a way through."

"I fear, then, that you do not fully understand those serious implications," Venus said reluctantly. She was surprised when Serenity laid a hand on her shoulder while giving her a sympathetic smile.

"I understand all too well the seriousness of forbidden love." She paused in order to clear her head of the images of Endymion that suddenly shot through it. "You will find a way to be together. I am not going to stop you nor am I going to turn you in. I may not know exactly why you being together is forbidden, but I am sure that it is something my mother would frown upon."

Both lovers ducked their heads. "Yes, princess, she would."

Serenity let a momentary pause ensue in order to calm the air around them. She felt like she was talking a hundred miles a minute and she needed a moment to collect herself. She wanted to be warm and gentle while dealing with the situation and not like some protocol droid. Taking a deep breath, she delved in again. "I was afraid of that."

Out of character, Venus suddenly dropped to her knees and clasped Serenity's robe. "Please, princess. Please! You mustn't tell her. She must never find out! I beg of you!"

The high princess was completely surprised by this turn of events. She immediately joined Venus on the ground in order to wrap her arms around the girl's shoulders to give her a hug. "Of course not! Did I not already say that I was not going to turn you in? I would never tell my mother, dearest Venus. I would never tell anyone!" She slowly rocked her senshi as the girl gave out a chocked sob. "Shh, it is okay. When I came into this cove to speak to you, I had no intention of doing you any ill. I merely wanted to talk to you and have you introduce me to this man who has managed to steal the most prized heart in the universe, that of the senshi of love." Serenity pulled away a bit to look her captain in the eye. She smoothed the other girl's hair and wiped away the last of her fading tears. "I was being selfish, in truth. I wanted you to know that I had overheard and overseen you so that we could gossip together once you had to part from your beau."

Venus weakly smiled as her princess continued to try and cheer her up with playful words.

"You know how terribly boring I can find court meetings. What better to fill up the dull than good gossip about love?"

"It is not fair for you to be selfish, your highness. You gave me quite a fright in being so," said the senshi as she found her voice and her wits again.

Serenity, happy that she had handled the situation well, helped Venus up into a standing position. She smiled at her companion. "I shall try to work on it. For now, however, you will have to stifle my curiosity and introduce me to this patient man here." She motioned to the man who had yet to speak a word or move a muscle. So far she had only seen him react in any way when she had first walked in and when Venus had tumbled to the ground.

With a shy smile, Venus addressed the forgotten man, "Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom, may I introduce to you Kunzite."

Kunzite took Serenity's hand and kissed it as she bowed low to give him a curtsy in return. "It is a pleasure to meet you, your majesty."

"The pleasure is all mine."

For Venus to leave out where the man was from in her introduction clued the princess in to the reason why their relationship was forbidden. She nearly choked at how similar her senshi's love life was to her own. Could it be that this man was also from Earth? Or was there some other place that the citizens of Venus were banned from?

"So it is your kingdom that causes the rift between you and my guard," she said as soon as the thought struck her. There's no point in holding back now, she thought.

Slightly shocked at the statement, Kunzite replied impressed, "You are very observant, milady."

"You, like my dear Venus, are very formal, milord."

Kunzite smirked. "You will find that I am also as stubborn as she at upholding that formality, your highness."

Serenity gave a pout. "No fun." She smiled when she heard her senshi giggle at her antics. She smiled wider when she saw Kunzite discretely snag Venus's hand so that he could lace their fingers together.

Without warning, the princess was bombarded with visions of her and Endymion. She tried to clear her head of them as she had done earlier, but they would not leave. With them, an onslaught of longing and despair hit her. The emotions were so forceful that she almost lost her balance. Being unable to rid herself of all that was attacking her, the princess mumbled an uneasy good-bye and tumbled away from her new friends.

…

Venus didn't know what to do when she saw her princess stumble. Her heightened senses could pick up the huge assault of emotions, but she was unable to sort through them effectively before Serenity high-tailed it out of the garden.

She took a step forward. "Serenity!"

The thought of following the distraught girl passed through her mind until she felt the hand of Kunzite on her shoulder. She turned to him and stared into his eyes.

"Let her go. I am not sure if anyone can help her now. She seems on the verge of something and will need some time alone to calm herself."

Damn reason! Venus would have grumbled like a child had the situation not been so serious. Instead she merely nodded and clasped Kunzite's hand for all that it was worth. "I hate it when you are right." She turned to look at the exit of their garden clearing. "I hope she will be all right. I did not have time to discern what was troubling her before she left. It all happened so suddenly."

End Chapter 4

……….

So? What'cha think? I love the generals being paired with the inner senshi and although I didn't want to turn this story into one that encompassed all the senshi joining with the generals (some Silver Millenium stories that write about Usa/Mamo getting together and then their guardians just happening to fall instantly in love as well -like it's some requirement- bother me), I did want Serenity to have a sympathetic heart. Who better then the senshi of love? -

Please send any comments to me, Sereko.


	6. Chapter 5

Affair by Sereko

Wahoo! Another chapter finished!

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters associated with the story (except for Prince Arian). I merely use Naoko Takeuchi's genius as a starting point for my own storytelling.

……….

Chapter 5

……….

'Why? Why now?' For two whole weeks Serenity had managed to shove thoughts of Endymion to the recesses of her mind. Except for the bauble earlier, that had led her to the garden for some distraction, she had been good about trying to forget the charming Terran. She could not understand why his image was hitting her so hard now or why the emotions that came with the image were so much more powerful than they ever had been before. Why, it was as if she had fallen in love with the man instead of merely holding a crush on hi-

Serenity shut off her brain before that last thought could fully process. 'No! No, no, no, no, no! This is not happening!' She pulled her flapping robe up higher as she raced through the palace halls to her room.

As if possessed, she tore open her bedroom doors, slammed them shut behind her and flung herself upon the bed. 'How can…I don't…Why is this…ARGH!' Both of her hands came up and covered her face.

She had to calm down. That was all. The encounter with Venus had nudged some things loose, but once she got control again everything would be okay.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Breathe in.

SCREAM!

No, no. Screaming is bad.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Think desperately about how you can find a way back to him.

Argh.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

You can't teleport; you don't even know how you did that in the first place.

Breathe in.

What about the transporters?

Breathe out.

The ones guarded by four big men?

Breathe in.

Oh, yeah.

Breathe out.

Isn't there a backdoor somewhere?

Breathe in.

No.

Breathe out.

'Oh, this is hopeless! I manage to make it through three weeks just fine…well, okay, the first week I was a bit moody…but I managed to make it through the other two weeks just fine and NOW! NOW I start to have a nervous breakdown!' Serenity practically wept with defeat.

She was supposed to be thinking about how pretty the silver melodies were this time of year and how the citrus tree framed Venus and Kunzite fabulously as they kissed.

She wasn't supposed to be fretting over a man she barely knew.

But who cares about dos and don'ts when it comes to matters of the heart?

'No! Not heart! How many times must I explain that I do not have strong feelings for this man!' Frustrated, Serenity leapt up from her bed and stomped over to her armoire. She quickly changed into a plain, cotton dress. Its white color brightened her features, no matter how dark they were with troubles.

In an instant she exited her room and slipped through the halls. She calmed herself enough so that her footfalls could not be heard. After a few minutes of hurried walking, Serenity found herself at the end of a main hall of the East Wing of Palace. Peering down it, she noted the four men standing at attention about half way down.

With the last of her resolve, she lowered her arm and powerfully thrust an object forward so that it slid past the guards and to the other end of the hall about 50 yards away. The object let out a loud pop when it hit the wall at the other end. All of the guards immediately turned at the disturbance and ran to meet it. While they were occupied with the small firecracker that Mars had sneaked to her on her last birthday, she swiftly crept up to the doors to the transport room and slipped through them.

Serenity squared her shoulders as she stared at the old, decrepit teleporter for Earth. All of the other teleporters were shiny and modern and instilled confidence in their users. The Moon had no reason to update or care for the one designated for Earth ever since their falling out. Serenity always wondered why they even bothered to keep it. She wasn't going to push her luck now, though. With one last look at the closed doors behind her, Princess Serenity walked through the liquid, mirror-like surface of the teleporter.

Before long she found herself standing with her back facing an equally decrepit teleporter designated for the Moon. She was in the corner of a room formed very much like her own. There was a half-moon shaped ring of transporters pressed up against a wall with their destinations inscribed upon their tops. The difference here, however, was that the designs on the walls and the banners and tapestries that draped from the ceiling sported the colors blue and gold instead of silver and white.

Using the same firecracker trick once again, Serenity managed to slip past another set of large men. She quickly set off through the palace to find an exit, tip-toeing around corners and pressing up against walls to keep out of sight of the trained guards. It was definitely hard, despite her talents, because the palace had a very thorough security system…then again, it did help when one could telepathically transport oneself anywhere.

After a grueling test of stamina and spy techniques, the princess somehow managed to make it out of the royal abode and into fresh air. The ground below her feet was covered in the soft, wet grasses of the palace's surrounding fields and she smiled because of it. She was back on Earth, finally.

It took her no time to begin a search for the clearing where she met Mamoru. She was vaguely aware that it was somewhere nearby the palace because she remembered seeing a Terran flag wafting in the breeze not far from it the last time she was there.

After a while of wondering, she caught sight of a familiar-looking forest with a familiar-looking river cutting through it. She sparked into a run towards it once she was a good many yards away from the front gates of the palace. Serenity's heart began to race. It had taken her less than an hour and already she had found her destination. And now she was going to prove that she, indeed, had no intense feelings for the man that she had met the last time she was here. Nope, no siree. She was not incredibly happy to see her home in the sky and to feel the moss on the trees. Her heart was not beating frantically at the mere thought of being able to see Endymion again. Nope, that wasn't her at all.

…..

'He means nothing to me! He means nothing to me! He means nothing to me!' Serenity continued this mantra in her head as she fervently rushed, rather unladylike, towards the clearing that had pervaded her thoughts for so long.

Dodging trees left and right, Serenity frantically jumped through the forest. The glade edged ever nearer and she couldn't hold her heart back from beating a hundred miles a minute. With one last burst of energy, she erupted through the last line of trees while spouting, "He means nothing to me!"

Her breath was heavy and her body heaving as she collapsed on the ground in a heap. Her fists clenched below her as she tried to control all of the strong emotions that were streaming through her at a rather alarming rate.

Before long, her haywire mind was distracted by the presence of two booted feet poised directly in front of her. She cautiously looked up while berating herself for acting so crazily without checking to see if other people were in the area first.

Blue eyes trailed up a lean, well toned body covered in black pants and a loose white shirt.

"U-Usagi?"

Serenity's eyes abruptly found the face of the owner of the boots. His eyes held much more than curiosity at finding her. However, they still blazed an alarming shade of deep azure and they were still partially hidden behind an errant lock of black hair.

"Mamoru?"

…..

Venus paced frantically around her room. She could not get the night's previous events out of her head. Though the high princess and her senshi were not the best of friends, excepting Mercury, there were still warm feelings between them. That was why she was so worried about Serenity.

Being the senshi of Venus allotted her gifted powers used for insight into the human mind and heart. If she so wished she could read one's mind, though not nearly as well or as acutely as Mars could. Venus had more reign on the emotions that flittered through one's consciousness. She could pick up on what people were feeling and if she concentrated, she could read the mind enough to learn what had caused those emotions.

Unfortunately, it took more than a few seconds for her to be able to process this and that was all the time that Serenity had given her before the girl had fled the gardens.

She sighed.

Kunzite had left her very early that morning and now she was alone to ponder her princess's behavior. Or, maybe not…Venus halted her pacing in order to exit her room. Walking briskly down the palace halls, she found her way to a door decorated similarly to her own except for an accent of blue.

…..

"Everything seems to be in order, your majesty. I have looked through the contract and there is nothing that disagrees with your wishes." Luna glanced at her husband as he spoke. They were about to solidify that her almost-daughter was to be married to the girl's best friend. She knew the princess would be shocked by this turn of events for she understood what Mars did not. She knew that Arian and Serenity teased and flirted to an extent, but that was in jest and meant only for play. Luna was quite aware of the fact that the two did not love each other as anything more than friends.

"Would your highness like to sign the documents now?"

Queen Serenity nodded to her advisor and was handed the engagement contract. With a brief once-over she flipped to the second page and swiftly scrawled her signature. Artemis picked the contract back up.

"With me as your witness, this contract is now final. I will vault this copy and send a replication to King Arian. Your will be done." A nod signaled her approval and her wish that Artemis leave to fill those duties.

…..

Endymion could hardly contain his shock or joy or disbelief. He watched as Serenity picked herself up from the ground with care. She nervously brushed dirt from her flowing skirts.

"I…I…um…" Serenity fumbled with her words. What was she to say now that he was right there in front of her? She resorted to formalities. "It is nice to see you again." Following her statement, she gave a curtsy.

Endymion, in turn, politely bowed and returned, "It is nice to see you again, as well." Once he stood up straight again, he followed with, "It has been a long time."

"That it has."

The prince dumbfoundedly proceeded towards her while mumbling, "I…I come here everyday. I always hope and pray that I will find you beyond the hedges, but you are never there…never…until now." He restrained himself from touching her cheek when he stopped walking a few feet away. He couldn't stay focused and proper with her frazzling his every nerve.

"Yes. I am here, now." She silently added to herself, 'and that is all that matters.'

"W-Why?"

Serenity looked up startled into his eyes. "Why?" she repeated. 'Because I miss you, I long for you, I need you near me,' her heart passionately answered. Her mind frowned at her. "I would think it obvious." She swallowed a large bump in her throat. "I adore the scenery here." A quick, nervous look to the flowers near-by only solidified the fact that she was lying.

"As do I," whispered Endymion while staring intently at the beauty before him.

He again had to hold himself back from reaching for the woman of his fantasies.

"Mamoru, I-" she hastily blurted. They were only a foot apart and it was hard for Serenity to remember the reason that she had initially come back to Earth. She shook her head and closed her eyes in an effort to gather her wits and her brains. Taking a deep breath, she said, "I came to tell you that I will never see you again."

…..

Mercury opened her door to be greeted by her leader. She immediately drew to attention and gave Venus an official head nod. "Captain."

The senshi of love, for the first time in her life, ignored proper protocol and barged into Mercury's room. She was hurried and harried and the last thing on her mind was the fact that she should have acted normally.

"Captain? Is something wrong?"

The pacing that had kept Venus so occupied in her own room took over her senses in this room as well. "I have worries. I need to talk to you about Serenity."

Her companion finally understood what was going on and so she nodded her head while shutting the bedroom door. She motioned for Venus to have a seat but the other woman declined. She offered a drink and poured a glass of water for her leader. Taking a seat, Mercury began, "What is it that worries you about the princess?"

"I conversed with her last night and she was acting slightly strange."

"Strange? What did she do?"

Venus sighed. "She was fine throughout most of the conversation, but at a very random point she lost her composure and ran away from me."

Mercury raised an eyebrow. She was unaware of this encounter. In fact, she hadn't spoken to her dear friend much at all in the past few weeks. She was planning on talking to her more thoroughly right as Venus approached her door. "That is odd. What were you two talking about? Did you say something that could have upset her?"

"I am not sure. If I remember correctly, we were both teasing and laughing when she was suddenly struck with fatigue. I am under the impression that it was something she thought of on her own that made her sad and scared, not something that was spoken. I came here to ask if you knew of anything that was bothering her."

Thinking slowly, Mercury recalled Serenity's moodiness over the past weeks. "She has not been herself for three or so weeks, actually. I have no idea what has happened to her. Nothing was confided to me."

"Hmm," Venus hummed as she tapped her chin. "I wonder what it could be. If you do not know, I fear that no one may know."

…..

There was a long silence. "I intone to you that I have been waiting for this moment for a month and you reply by telling me that you never want to see me again." Despite his hurt, Endymion comically adopted a pondering expression. "Hmm, I seem to have missed something."

Serenity couldn't help but smile weakly. "I never said that I did not want to. I said that I could not." She continued as he gave her a questioning look, "It is complicated. There are things that you are unaware of that make these meetings dangerous."

"Dangerous?"

She turned from him. "I cannot explain in any more detail." She had no idea how she had gotten herself into this mess in the first place. One minute all she wanted to do was prove that she had not longed for the sight of this Terran and the next she was acting like a blubbering idiot. A hand rested on her shoulder causing her to jump.

"What is it?"

Spinning, she fumed, "I told you I cannot explain!" Bad move. Turning had meant facing him and facing him meant having to look into his eyes. Those endless blues that swallowed her whole. Even her strong-willed mind could not overpower her heart as it leapt for him. Serenity's knees melted when her prince reached out and cautiously touched her cheek.

"I cannot stay away from you, Usagi, so you will have to come up with a better excuse than that." A gentle smile followed his words.

There was no hesitation as Serenity's mind went into arrest and her heart blurted out, "I am Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom."

Endymion's hand froze on her skin. It took everything in him to keep his mouth from falling open. However, as Serenity studied his eyes she saw with alarm how they swirled not with fear but with wonder. The prince's thoughts were running crazily calculating the danger of their situation and how he might surpass it. With one final thought he focused his attention back on the princess and whispered, "I do not care."

To say that Serenity was a little thrown off by this reaction would be an understatement. "Did you not hear me? I am the crown princess of your planet's nemesis. You could kill me right now and your people would praise you for it."

"Never!" His eyes were wide and fiery. "How dare you even suggest that I would lay a violent hand on you!"

Rolling her eyes, the princess continued, "The point is that we cannot meet each other ever again. I should not have come even once. Since it is my recklessness that has put us in jeopardy, I take it upon myself to prevent further encounters." This is it, she thought. The last time she would ever see the man of her dreams. Her body started to turn away. "I…I am sorry that we could not have learned more of each other. I would have loved it."

Her head bowed and spirits quickly dropping, Serenity proceeded to exit the clearing. She threw one more longing look over her shoulder with an emotional good-bye and then turned for the last time.

Suffice to say, Endymion was not going to leave it at that. It took three long strides for him to catch Serenity. When he did, he gently cupped his fingers around her upper arm.

Using a bit of force, he spun her around so that she was almost so close as to touch his chest with her nose. There was no time for Serenity to react before he had captured her lips in a searing kiss. His mouth was tender but passionate against hers.

Both pulses racing and minds whirling, the two drifted apart. With drunken eyes Serenity tried to focus on the face hovering mere centimeters in front of her.

"You will have to forgive me, princess, but I cannot let you leave me." He brushed a hair behind her ear. "I do not care whom you inherited your name from or where your loyalties lie. As long as I can stand with you, I will be happy."

Serenity was unable to dip her head because of Endymion's hold on her chin, but she did drop her eyes. "I will not knowingly put you in grave danger, Mamoru. It was foolish of me to flee here a month ago. I will not do it again."

Again she found herself floating among the clouds of heaven. Soft, but demanding lips caressed hers in a tantalizing dance. This time, when the Terran pulled away, he pressed his cheek against hers. As he spoke, his breath swirled across her ear. "My name is Endymion, as in Prince Endymion of Earth." He continued though he felt Serenity shiver. "You alone do not hold responsibility for our meetings. I am not allowed to have private conversations with what I thought was a peasant without proper supervision. Either way, however, we have found ourselves together."

Though Serenity was reeling with disbelief, she had enough sense in her to be able to form a few words. "You are the crown prince of this planet?" His gentle affirmative shot tingles down her spine. "And I am the crown princess of your moon." Just saying it made her want to shake her head at the irony of it all. There were trillions upon trillions of people in the solar system and, out of pure chance, the two who were the worst match for each other met. "And we want to be together."

It made Endymion smile to hear her say 'we'. He let his thumb run up and down the small of her back. His attention focused from its daze when Serenity pulled away to stare at him, both of her hands framing his face.

"We could not have chosen a more difficult path to walk."

The corner of his mouth kicked up in a grin. "We would not have it any other way."

Her mood lifted and she let a small smile shine on her face. "No. No, we would not. Let us pray that the gods are on our side."

"A prince and princess from two rifting kingdoms trying to find an end to loneliness together? Come now, that is a classic love story. The gods adore that type of thing." A more devilish grin replaced the other on his face.

Serenity couldn't help but feel as one. Everything was all right, at least for now. The rest of the world and its laws did not matter when she was alone in his arms.

It was her turn to initiate their kiss as Endymion chattered. She did so with vigor and desire. He returned it tenfold.

End Chapter 5

……….

Sigh Isn't romance wonderful? I hope you enjoyed it! I wasn't too much in the mood to write the other developments in the story, hence the small amount of non-UsaMamo stuff. More of that will come in the next chapters. Serenity and Endymion's happy little paradise will be thoroughly shaken and shaken hard.

Please send ANY comments to me, Sereko. My e-mail is: 


	7. Chapter 6

Affair by Sereko

This is one of my favorite chapters to date. I hope you all like it just as much as I do. Thanks for reading:)

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters associated with the story (except for Prince Arian). I merely use Naoko Takeuchi's genius as a starting point for my own storytelling.

……….

Chapter 6

……….

"WHAT!" he screamed.

His companion in the elaborately decorated room drew back from the reaction. "I was under the impression that this news would please you."

"Why would you have been put under that impression?" the young man replied. A nagging feeling in the back of his throat was steadily increasing to a rather annoying itch.

"There was an eye witness that assured me of it."

Now pacing, the young man briskly ran a hand through his hair. 'An eye witness?' More questions erupted in his head. He noticed his companion's irritated glare out of the corner of his eye and stopped to turn to him.

"It is too late to go back on my word now. What is done is done and you will accept it." There was a regal and final tone to his voice.

"I will accept it!" The younger man was incredulous. "I cannot believe that you would not consult me before making such arrangements. If you had then all of this could have been avoided."

The glare sharpened. "You dare to speak to me in such a way?" When the other man drooped his head in fault, he continued, "Answer me this: Do you feel like you know her well? And she you?"

"None better."

"You care for this girl?"

"More than anything."

"You love her?" There was a pause on the other end of this question.

The young man turned away momentarily. In a defeated voice, he said, "I once loved her intimately, now only as a close friend."

"Then you are better off than several of the married couples in court. Think of it this way, son. At least you enjoy her company. At least you know her." He laid a comforting hand on his son's shoulder. He hated forcing the young man into something that he did not wish to do. However, sometimes sacrifices had to be made.

"You do not understand." He gave a heavy sigh as he prepared to break part of the trust his dearest friend had put in him. "She loves another." Swinging a defeated look to his father he said, "This betrothal will kill her. I cannot go through with it because I do not want to hurt her. I know that I could find a way to settle into this arrangement and I am sure that Serenity could have too, but that was before she found this man. I cannot force them apart like this!" He squeezed his eyes tightly shut. He knew that Serenity would be heartbroken at the news that she must marry him.

His father smiled sympathetically. "I am sorry, Arian, I did not know."

"No one does but me," Arian interrupted.

"Well then, you can see why the queen and I initially thought that this would be a joyous union. Your sister saw you and the princess together and since the two of you are so close, she misinterpreted your meeting as something more intimate. The way you acted together implied to Anna that you were both in love. I am assuming that she was too excited at seeing her brother and princess together to be able to discern that you were merely acting as close friends and not lovers." The king thought his rather dictatorial explanation would snap his son out of his sorrowful stupor, but he was wrong. The prince continued to cringe and pace.

With one last ounce of hope, Arian pleaded with his father once more. "Is there no way that you can retract the betrothal with Queen Serenity?"

"If she were to know that her daughter was in love with someone else, I am sure that she would understand and break this betrothal. She would want to make a new arrangement with the other man's parents."

"No. The queen cannot know of whom I speak."

The king raised an eyebrow. "Why not? Would it not make the princess happy to become betrothed to the one she loves?"

"She cannot know! If Queen Serenity found out who the other man was…" Arian trailed off in despair. "No, there is no way. She cannot be told."

"Then I fear Queen Serenity will not wish to cancel your betrothal. She would have no reason to. Even if you told her that you did not wish to marry her daughter, it would not be enough."

"That is what I feared. If you will excuse me, I need to make a trip to the Moon." Arian briskly walked from the room, leaving his father to wonder why he would not tell anyone the name of the man that Serenity was in love with.

…..

She mumbled in bliss with her eyes closed. She decided that she was going to ignore the fact that there were a large number of people at home who would be surprised to find that it was an hour past dawn and she was not primping in her bedroom. She was also going to ignore her strict, responsible conscience. Another happy moan escaped her mouth. "This is extremely delectable. I like it much better than the first one. Too yellow."

Endymion chuckled. "The first one is called a lemon. The one you just finished is called a raspberry."

"Are there any others?" she asked eagerly.

"Not around here. That was all I could find." He gave a big smile at her enthusiasm. "And anyway, it is your turn." When he saw her eyes drifting away, he gently laid a hand on her wrist. "No more stalling."

"Fine," Serenity said while letting out a breath. "What was the question again?"

"What happened to your father?"

She didn't want to talk about it. In fact, it was probably the last thing she ever wanted to even think about. Serenity had learned compassion and love from her mother's top advisors Luna and Artemis. They taught her as she was growing up about how love was an essential part of marriage. They read her fairytales about soul mates and happily-ever-afters. With all of these grand ideals swirling around in her head, it was no wonder that the relationship between her mother and father appalled her.

Queen Serenity married Tael of Venus for purely diplomatic reasons. He was a suitable match, accepted by her parents and the rest of the Moon. Queen Serenity had no fantasies about love; she was always extremely focused on expectations instead. She was married to Tael for five years, a distinguished amount of time, before she became pregnant. Two years after her daughter's birth, the queen ended her marriage. In her eyes, Tael had fulfilled his purpose. He had bonded the kingdoms of the Moon and Venus with his marriage and had helped to produce an heir. There was no need for the man to stick around since the queen did not feel love for him or any duty to stay with him to the end of their days. Though traditional marriage rights of the Moon were taken very seriously, Queen Serenity's cool and aloof emotions on the subject called for no objections from her people at her actions. In shame, most of the Moon's citizens emptied their memory of the harsh events and tried to pretend, instead, that Tael had been a courageous general who died in battle.

The truth of her parents' relationship still rocked Serenity to the core. She had to brace herself on the ground to prevent herself from shaking too visibly. "I met him just recently. I wanted to see his face." She glanced mournfully at Endymion. "I have his eyes. They were this beautiful shade of azure, so much more vibrant than my mother's. And his hair. Just like any true Venusian, he had the most brilliant golden hair. I…" she stumbled with her words, "I just know that I would have loved him. I would have loved him dearly."

Without prompting or waiting for the first tear to fall, Endymion reached forward and embraced Serenity. She turned in his arms in order to bury her head in the crook of his neck. Then, like a geyser, it came. Serenity felt humiliated for falling apart just so in front of the prince, but his countenance was so warm that she couldn't help herself. His body enveloped hers and she felt completely content to stay in his protective cocoon forever. It never felt so wonderful to just be held, even when Luna used to come to her after a bad dream. It had also never felt so wonderful to let go of her reservations and allow emotions to flood through her. Ah, what this man was doing to her. "Thank you," she quietly whispered.

"None of that," he said in a tone equally as quiet. "Never thank me for giving you what you rightly deserve. Care."

Good god, was he not just the most wonderful male specimen in the whole universe! 'How fate ever managed to make me run into you, I will never know. But I will have to send her my gratitude everyday.' She kept her thoughts to herself, fearing that she was falling too fast for this man. If she weren't careful there would be no one to catch her.

"So?"

Serenity lifted her head to look questioningly into Endymion's eyes. "So what?"

"What do you want to ask me? It is your turn now." If he didn't have the most adorable smile on his face right then, she would have kissed him for trying to lighten the mood. Instead, she put a pondering finger to her chin.

"It is, is it? Well then…" she trailed off. They had already shared so much, sitting in their little cove for at least a few hours already. A mischievous glint lighted her eyes. "How good are you at the sword? You have told me of the training you have suffered with Kunzite, Jadeite, Zoicite and Nephrite. However, I would like to test for myself to see if there is any natural talent in you or if all you know has been merely learned."

"You wish to test me? May I ask how?"

The glint shown brighter. The corner of her mouth kicked up. "With a duel, of course. No fatalities, just a bit of sparring," she immediately amended when she saw a flash of danger in his eyes.

His interest was piqued. "A duel you say?" She nodded. "It seems that throughout our interviews, I skipped over a rather important question. In all of your upbringing, did someone teach a dainty princess how to fight?" The wording was not meant as an insult, Endymion was merely trying to point out the unusualness of it all. It was not considered proper conduct for a noblewoman to learn the defensive arts.

"Ah, ah, ah," Serenity shook her finger. "You have not answered my question; it is, therefore, not your turn to ask me one yet."

He grinned in delight. She really was something else. "I will duel with you."

"Good. In answer to your question, Princess Reianna of Mars honed my sword skills. She mentioned, however, that I had the talent at birth. Mars has great spiritual powers. She could sense my father in me when I sparred with her. It is from him that I am blessed with such a reckless hobby." As she had been explaining, she and Endymion stood up to slip through the trees. They didn't stop until they came to the edge of the forest.

With pleasure, Endymion pulled his sword from the scabbard that hung on his belt. He looked to Serenity. "What are we to do about your sword? I cannot readily fetch one from the palace for you…" he let the sentence fall as his eyes widened.

Seemingly out of thin air, by merely pressing her two palms together and then dragging them apart, Serenity had revealed her sword. "That will not be necessary. I, like you, always carry mine with me." She smiled despite herself. "I am sorry, dear prince, I should have warned you that my training included a bit of magic before I summoned my sword here." As she waited for him to shake himself out of his stupor, she dramatically stated, "Its name is Excalibur."

"En garde."

It was Serenity's turn to be surprised, for Endymion was already fully alert and in a ready stance. She threw her surprise aside as she approached him.

And the battle began.

The forest immediately echoed the grunts and cries emitted from the two duelers. It was a tough battle for both parties. Initially they both played more defensive roles in order to gauge one another's style and skill. However, defense quickly turned to offense when their competitive and energetic sides kicked in. Both the prince and princess were highly skilled. Only the best training was allotted to royalty, though it was obvious that a natural ease with the sword and how to wield it had bled into their training. A few bruises and small nicks started to form on fingers, upper arms, stomachs and chests. The very minor injuries were paid no heed and the fight continued.

A drip of sweat trickled down Endymion's back to join several others that had soaked into his shirt. To say that his dear Usagi was a good opponent would be too obvious. To his satisfaction, however, Serenity had her fair share of sweat spots. He quickly parried a well placed thrust and twirled the touching swords to give himself an advantage. It wasn't until several moves later that he thought their sparring match might never end. It seemed that they were perfect equals. Then, he saw a small opening in her defense and struck out.

Serenity's surprise at being caught staring too deeply into his eyes cost her. She blinked harshly to try and focus herself. The damned man was just so unbelievably gorgeous when he was determined and flexed. Her attempt at refocusing came too late for her to properly fight off the swipe of his sword and she was struck.

She stumbled back a pace.

The swift slice to the palm of her hand left quite a gash. "Oh, goodness," she muttered more in irritation than pain.

Endymion knew he was in a very bad state of mind when the first thing that came to his head after seeing her cut was the memory of a Terran bonding ritual. He tried to block the thoughts and how perfect they seemed, but it was of no use. Before he knew what he was doing, Endymion raised his sword and slipped it across his left palm. The sting led him to grimace, but that was all.

The princess was attempting to rip off a part of her unrelenting dress to bandage her wound when she felt a grip on her bad hand. She looked up to see Endymion standing before her with his head bowed and his lips moving. The murmurs that came from him were unintelligible to her; she assumed he was speaking in an old Terran tongue.

In seconds she felt something start to flow through her. Panicked, she tried to pull away and yelled at Endymion to stop. He didn't oblige her. Fingers quivering against his hold, a wave started to form from them. It was warm and tingly, a little odd but still nice, and it was slow to shift from her injured hand through her arm to the rest of her body. The wave cascaded down her legs and seemed to pool around her feet before it shot straight up to her head. Unconsciously, Serenity's head whipped back at the sensation. Her mouth parted though no sound came out. Then, something stirred around her heart. It was as methodical and intense as the previous wave had been, but this one circled and swirled only around her pounding heart. A heat formed and spread throughout every inch of her. She basked in it.

The reactions stopped abruptly.

Though startling, Serenity was sad to feel her psyche wind down and return to normal. The whirlwind of responsiveness each and every nerve in her body had taken part in was a life-altering experience. She dropped her head and concentrated on Endymion's form with much effort. "What was that?"

Endymion's brain kicked back into gear. 'Uh-oh. And how exactly are you going to explain this one?'

"Gods! Our hands!" Serenity exclaimed. Diverting his attention, Endymion glanced down at the appendages. He noted with satisfaction that both slices had been completely healed. He reached up to pull down the collar of his loose shirt. He again noted with satisfaction that a discernable mark had been emblazoned on the skin above his heart. It was a crescent moon.

Following Endymion's actions, the princess pulled at the collar of her swoop neck dress. She didn't know what to say at finding the symbol for Earth sitting there in perfect contentment. "What…What did you do to us?" her timid voice whispered.

"I," he began slowly, "performed a Terran bonding ceremony."

"Bonding?"

Endymion nodded. "It is a tradition on Earth to perform such a ritual when two people are joined together."

"Joined together?" God, she felt like a parrot.

There was a gulp. A deep gulp. Then, determination such as no one had ever seen rose in the prince and he squared his shoulders. He would just tell her the truth. There was no turning back now. He had already stepped past his bounds. "Traditionally, the rite is performed at a marriage. This is simply because once two people have bonded, it is virtually impossible for them to live without one another. Blood and soul have been blended. Usually the ritual leaves behind a slash or, if lucky, a circle upon one's flesh so that everyone who looks knows when someone is spoken for. I have never before heard of marks such as the intricate ones that we have received being scorched. It is truly amazing." He hoped that she would focus on that and not the fact he had just permanently changed their lives.

"Amazing? Yes, amazing," there was anger hidden in her voice. "I find it simply amazing that you would do such an important and sacred thing to the both of us without asking my permission." She tried to breathe at a normal pace, but her body was still on high from the bonding experience and the shock that followed. "You have put us in a perilous place. Goodness, Mamoru," she said as her tone dropped from commanding to familiar, "Have you so soon forgotten that we are of two rifting kingdoms? No matter our wants, it cannot be between us. This bonding will only make our inevitable separation unbearable."

In earnest, Endymion reached for and clasped Serenity's upper arms. "Do you not see? That is why I had to do it. I am sorry that I did not consult you first. I should have. The thought came so abruptly and so powerfully to me, however, that I had not the time." The prince took a step closer and lifted his other hand to rest under her chin. "I care about you, Usagi, more than I have ever cared about anyone. If you say that I am speaking in haste, you may shut your mouth. For an entire month your image and your words have plagued me, which was more than enough time for me to find out how I feel about you. Too much time, in fact, that was wasted on finding feelings when I could have been telling you about them."

She scoffed. "Mamoru. We are not going to go into this again. I have made it clear that I am attracted to you. I have also made it clear that though a month may have passed, we have still spoken very little to each other. We still do not know each nearly well enough to go so far as to bond!" Serenity realized that she was denying herself and her companion the truth. But it would be easier to go their separate ways once their parents found out and broke them up if they did not get quite so close. Even if her heart struggled against her and begged for more of his sweet words. She would have none of it.

"Usagi, I do not know about you, but I have told you more about myself in these past hours than I have ever told anyone. I believe you may even know me better than my own mother, though she had the privilege of spending a good many years raising me and you did not. If I have to beat it into you, I will convince you that time means nothing. And I will not suffer another month alone just so that you feel we have enough of it under our belts to finally start a relationship."

There was a hopeless look staring back at him when he finished lecturing. "You ask me too much," she whispered. "I cannot and will not risk not only your life but the lives of the soldiers who may be enlisted in a war between our kingdoms. It is too much." Serenity clenched her eyes and shook her head. "It is too much," she repeated as she stepped away from his soft touch.

She attempted to turn and run away like she had before when he had flipped her back around and kissed her.

This time he let her go.

Tears leaked and streamed down her cheeks. 'Stop it! Stop it! Remember what you said before? 'He means nothing to me.' Just repeat that. He means nothing to me. He means nothing to me.' Yet the tears continued and her hands were unable to wipe them away fast enough as she ran atop Earth's resilient soil.

Though it seemed like she had been running forever, her stumbling flight had only left her thirty or so yards away when she was struck to a stop. The feeling was indescribable. One minute she was religiously repeating her mantra and the next she was overcome with a large swirl of emotions. They were angry and sad and solemn and any other words that could fit into the category of depressed. The bombardment was so thick and tense that she felt as if she was choking from it. She frantically moved her arms as if to ward off the strange impressions, but they only encroached further on her heart. Lead weights were placed on all her limbs and she fell deftly to the ground. Her shaking arms caught her so that her face did not also bury itself in the dirt. As she tried to make sense of the foreign feelings, tried to find why she was being consumed by something not of her own making, she heard something.

/ 'Not again.' /

It was a whisper, a tickle on her soul. She knew it was not her ears that had heard it and neither was it her mind that had picked up a bit of telepathy. It was as if she had sensed or felt the words. They came to her as if they were her own.

/ 'Not again.' /

It was stronger this time, whatever it was. Following it, the encompassing forlornness that was swallowing her up increased tenfold. Now she really couldn't breathe. She had never heard of suffocation by intense emotions before. The choked heaving of her breath informed her that she might be the first victim. 'No. It is just psychological. Your heart feels suffocated, not your lungs. Not your lungs.' The reasoning was found true when her breathing patterns returned to normal.

/ 'Why? Why give her to me just to take her away?' /

And then she understood. Serenity lifted her head with hesitation and looked back from whence she came. There stood Endymion. No surprise in that. The surprise laid in the fact that he was leaning with one arm against a tree, the other covering his face, which was dripping tears.

/ 'I love her.' /

Serenity froze. Her heart, her mind, anything that was hers and that usually functioned shut down. She had not just heard those words whispered through his lips or telepathically received them. She had felt them. Her heart swelled in an attempt to answer the call. Her muscles worked on their own to lift her up and force her back towards the forest and Endymion.

…

He heard a leaf crackle first, and then he noticed that she was walking towards him. He was so overcome with…everything…that he just stood there and waited.

She came back.

Her first instinct was to reach up and touch his cheek and she followed it. Her second was to whisper "I am sorry" and she did that too.

"I am so sorry. I…" she trailed off in the search for perfect words. She had to say everything right and that included speaking only in truths. "I have denied my own heart and in doing so have denied yours as well. I assure you that that was not my intention." She sighed. "There are rules, Mamo-chan. I was only trying to obey them to save us and our worlds much trouble and pain. You and I were both taught to put duty before love, such is the burden of royalty."

The look on his face nearly had her crumbling into a little heap before she finished. His slow and steady tears had not abated.

"I heard you, Mamo-chan. No, correction, I felt you. I felt you in a way I have never and will never feel another person. Such strength, though at the time in sorrow, I have never known. You are one determined young man and you, yourself, said that if you had to you would beat into me the fact that time means nothing." She looked up at him with a smile, her hand having caressed and dropped to lie across the back of his neck. "Only someone with such feeling, with such strength," she took a deep gulp of air before continuing, "with such love could convince me to put duty on the sidelines for once."

Endymion didn't know how to respond. He hadn't actually intended to send her his emotions so fiercely, or even at all. The fact that it had caused Serenity to turn back and return to him was all he needed to know. However, the impressiveness of their connection, much more pronounced than in usual bondings, was not enough. He needed to feel something come back at him that was convincing. He needed to hear her say it.

"I am glad, Usagi. I must go now." Well, he hadn't meant to be quite so abrupt, but it would have to work. He stepped past her a few steps. Then he became the one frozen to the spot.

"I love you, too."

He would have back-peddled if he could have.

"I think I have known since I first saw you lying by the river, but the thought of being so completely fallen for someone before even knowing his name scared me greatly. And then I just had to be from the Moon, only on Earth because I was fleeing an argument with my mother.

"I never imagined that I would meet you here."

She turned to him in the hopes that he would turn to her as well. Then, with slight apprehension overbearing everything else, she finished her speech.

"You are the one that I have been waiting for, Mamo-chan. You are the one that I have been dreaming of my entire life."

…..

Mercury's head spun. She tried to convince herself that she had heard wrong. She tried to imagine that Mars had not just run into her and cheerfully exclaimed that her princess was engaged. And she sincerely tried to pretend that Serenity would be overjoyed at the proclamation.

Her hand fisted in her hair.

This wasn't happening. This just was not happening. True, Arian and Serenity were very close and a better match was hard to find…but she knew that her dear friend would never want her close friendship with Arian to turn into marriage. She had spent many a night on the princess's bed chatting about finding the loves of their lives. It was not uncommon for her to find Serenity standing on a palace balcony and gazing into the distance. She was such a daydreamer, always thinking that things would work out one day. A wonderful man would walk into her life and love her unconditionally like her mother never could.

'Oh, what is there to do?' she despaired.

The queen had officially taken away the last freedom that her daughter had. It would tear the young woman apart to learn of this engagement, to learn that she no longer had any choice left in her life that she could make herself.

Mercury poked her head out a window and checked the gardens below one last time in search of her friend. 'Where could that girl be?' She had to find Serenity and tell her of the sad news before the formal announcement was made later that day. Serenity had to hear it from a friend and not in front of hundreds of court members.

…..

As was his way, Endymion resorted to smiles and teasing to lighten up the heavy moment. Nevermind that the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen just happened to mention that she loved him.

He turned to face her and took a step forward to bring some warm intimacy to the atmosphere.

"Mamo-chan, eh? Where did that come from?" he said with a smirk.

Serenity was in too serious a mood to blush, though she did explain. "It is customary on the Moon to shorten or alter the name of one's cough lover cough as a sign of affection."

"Is it? Well-" he was interrupted by an urgent telepathic message.

'Endy! Where are you!' Like before, it was Jadeite that interfered in their conversation.

'I am near the Kai Forest. Why? What is wrong?' A bad feeling prickled the back of his neck.

'There has been another attack, stronger this time. Your father is already at the boundaries trying to fight it off, but he has sent for your assistance.'

Endymion clenched his fist. "Not again," he sighed. 'I will be back at the palace in less than ten minutes. Have my horse ready and fetch the other generals. Nephrite is already with my father, correct?'

'Yes, your highness.'

'Good. Then find Zoicite and Kunzite. We must ride immediately for it will be a long journey to the boundaries.'

'Your will be done.' Jadeite's presence faded from Endymion's mind.

It was all so sudden. The enemy had attacked only two days before. How could its forces already be restored enough to fight again so soon? He ran a hand through his hair as he started to briskly walk away.

"Good luck!" came a call from behind him.

'Serenity! Damn!' He couldn't believe that he had almost forgotten that the angel of his life was there with him. Without hesitation and still being pumped with adrenaline at Jadeite's news, he flipped around and ran to return to her. No warnings or sweet words were given before he had slipped one arm firmly around her waist and used his other hand to cradle the back of her neck.

Though it was spontaneous, Serenity had no objections to Endymion's fierce attitude. He had angled her head back before she had a chance to give him a sly smile. Then his own head fell towards her so that he could crush their lips together. He was brutal but passionate. Serenity was sure that her lips would be thoroughly bruised by his assault when he was finished with her, but she didn't mind one little bit. She nipped his bottom lip with her teeth before opening her mouth to allow his tongue access. It thrust violently into her and scrapped against the inside of her cheek. She groaned. Gods, he was a great kisser.

Endymion used the arm around Serenity's waist to haul her up against him. One of his legs slipped between hers so that her entire body fit snuggly with his own. The fingers he had at the back of her neck kneaded its tender flesh. His thumb played around the curve of her throat. When he heard her moan for the second time he felt a corresponding wave of passionate emotion explode around his heart.

It wasn't his emotion.

He couldn't help but smile against her lips as he again felt Serenity's increasing delight from within him. The bonding had not only worked, it was the most successful meld in the history of the Terrans. Such strength of emotions was never known to pass between normal bonded pairs. Slight telepathy, more a feeling of words than an actual conversation of them, and a light touch of emotions was the extent of the ritual's usual results. Endymion wished he could inform his parents of all that he was managing with Serenity. He could feel her. Everything about her. It was like they were the same person. He smiled again before he firmly planted his lips on hers once more.

Then the world came crashing back down around him. He had to go. Damn, but he had to go and fight. He had to leave the softest and most pliable lips he had ever tasted in order to strap on some armor and join a fleet of sweaty men. There was something wrong with that picture. With one last bruising kiss and a tightening of his arms, Endymion gathered all of his self-control and pulled his head away from Serenity.

She groaned in protest.

He laughed pitifully. "Believe me, I know. Gods, I would give anything to stay here right now and continue our little explorations, but my father calls. It is not good to disappoint a king."

"Not even just once," she pouted. "I suppose you are right. Again. Though I fear that with all the pent up heat I have at the moment I may molest the next man I see." Teasing was so fun.

Endymion growled in frustration. "Do not even dare. Lord only knows that I would like to be that man." He pulled away further from her. "I have spent too much time as is surrendering to you. Jadeite expects me soon. I must go, dearest Usako, but I will see you again."

It was Serenity's turn to quirk an eyebrow. "Usako?"

While straightening his clothes and drifting away from her, he found time to slyly grin. "It makes sense. You are little and you are mine. Goodbye, love." And then he was out of sight.

Serenity had to lean against a tree to gather her wits. Then she sent a wistful smile in the direction Endymion had left. Even in an emergency, he had a way of being unbelievably sexy.

…..

She didn't know what to think. After somehow managing to slip past all the palace guards, Serenity was standing just outside and out of sight of the teleportation room. She had been just about to make a leap for the entrance when someone had stepped out of it. She was stunned.

"Kunzite?"

The general jumped so quickly and so sharply that the princess swore he snapped his neck. He was scared out of his mind when he noticed Princess Serenity of the Moon standing in front of him.

"Princess! What are you doing here?"

"I was just about to ask you the same thing!" She kept her voice at a low angry whisper. "You are a Terran?"

Kunzite bit his lip. Of all the people to see at the Earth palace…he grumbled. "I am the first guard and high general of his majesty Prince Endymion." He said it with his chin high and a tinge of his formal demeanor.

Serenity's eyes widened. There were way too many surprising things happening this day. She would need a week's worth of rest just to recover from all the heart attacks she was suffering. Ah! Her shoulders shot up. 'The battle! If Kunzite is the high general, then I must tell him the news. Mamoru and Jadeite must be frantically searching for him by now!'

"I have just come from speaking with the prince," she ignored his shock. "He was informed by General Jadeite that the king was in the midst of another uprising at the boundaries." She pressed closer to him as her body shook frantically. "The prince told him to prepare the horses. They must leave immediately at the request of the king. He said that Jadeite was to gather the other generals. To gather you! You must make haste to meet them!"

Kunzite was already jumping on his toes at the first mention of the king. He practically sprung from his place when Serenity stopped talking. Before he could make it more than a few steps, his body jackknifed backwards. Turning, he saw Serenity staring at him earnestly while still gripping his elbow.

"Please!" There was a quiver in her voice. "Please, protect the prince well. Do not let anything happen to him!"

Understanding dawned. "You and the prince…" he trailed off.

"We are in the same predicament, Kunzite. You with Venus and me with your liege. Do not speak a word of this to anyone but Endymion and I will not mention anything to anyone about you and my high senshi." He dumbly nodded. "What are you doing standing here! Go! We may speak of this matter later. For now, you must fight to protect your kingdom, your prince and your love. Make haste!"

He was down the hall and out of sight before Serenity could blink. Not that she was blinking. Her eyes were still as wide as saucers at all that was unfolding around her. She pressed her back against a nearby wall.

'The things I get myself into.'

End Chapter 6

……….

Ahh, a little bit of everything in this chapter. Did you like it? I was deliberating on how I should have Endymion and Serenity announce their feelings for each other. I didn't want 'I love you' to be the first words out of their mouths, but I also wanted to acknowledge that they have a unique and intense connection (in that 'I don't know you but you are the love of my life' kinda way). I love the idea of soul mates, so I wanted to incorporate that...but in a more realistic way that the two of them kissing the very first time that they meet. Did I do a good job? -

Please send any comments to me, Sereko.


	8. Chapter 7

Affair by Sereko

Sorry for the horrible delay! I'm in Japan right now and will be for the next six months. Needless to say, most of my December was taken up with packing and other preparations. If I ever take too long again, please go to my personal website at http/ I have up to chapter 13 posted there.

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters associated with the story (except for Prince Arian). I merely use Naoko Takeuchi's genius as a starting point for my own storytelling.

……….

Chapter 7

……….

There were cheers and applause when the queen finished her announcement. The two young monarchs of whom she was talking stood serenely in front of her dais. A tear, one of several, fell from Princess Serenity's closed eyes and dropped to the floor. The general consensus among court members was that she was extremely happy at the engagement and that was the reason for her tears. Only three people in the throne room knew otherwise: the princess herself, her newfound fiancé Prince Arian and her best friend Amile of Mercury.

The turn of events were so shocking to Serenity that she still hadn't fully accepted them until her mother called her into the throne room. She was fortunate enough to have had Arian and Mercury inform her of the engagement before she had to hear it from her mother. It seemed like only minutes ago when the news came spewing out of Mercury's lips…

…..

Finally! She had looked everywhere at least three times and in five hours had still not been able to find the princess. However, as she once more turned the corner to the main hall of the East Wing, she spotted her dear friend. She looked a bit shaken, a bit happy but a bit nervous.

"Princess!"

The exclamation made Serenity jump three feet. It took her a good few minutes to calm her heart. "Nice to see you, too, Ami. How are you doing?"

"No time for pleasantries, your highness. I have urgent news that I must tell you." She glanced around at the hall around her, noting a few guards here and there. "But we must find a place with a bit more privacy." She dragged the princess by the hand quickly until they were securely on a balcony overlooking the Eastern Gardens.

"What is it? What is wrong, Ami?"

Mercury did not readily answer her liege and that scared Serenity more than anything ever had. Mercury was stalling and Mercury never stalled.

"Tell me," she said more forcefully.

"Well, I do not know how to start…" the senshi trailed off hopelessly. Now that she had the princess in front of her, she had no idea what to say. How could she broach the topic gently?

"Tell me," Serenity voiced dropped almost to the point of command.

Mercury's shoulders stiffened immediately under the tone and her worries were shoved out of her head. "I have been informed by Mars that the queen has arranged for you to be married to Prince Arian."

The princess erupted into laughter. "Oh, my dearest Ami, that is a good one. Do you tell this joke to get back at me for disappearing today? I will tell you now that I am not sorry for it…" she could not finish her sentence. She had brought her head up to stare at her friend only to notice that the other woman held tears, not mirth, in her eyes. "Ami?"

"I am sorry, Sere. I am so so sorry. If only it really were a joke," she sobbed.

Serenity's heart fluttered erratically. "A-Ami? What do you mean? It cannot…you cannot truly be telling me that…that I am engaged to Arian?" The senshi of Mercury nodded just as another voice from behind the princess confirmed it.

"It is true, Sere. She is telling the whole, god awful truth."

With what little grace she possessed, Serenity turned around to face the object of her supposed affection. "Ari-chan?" Without having to think about it, Arian collected her into his arms as realization slowly dawned on her. "Are you serious? How did this happen?" Those were the last coherent words that she spoke for quite a while. Her breath was jumping just like her heart and the soft tears that she was shedding were all keeping her from being able to form any intelligible sounds. Arian held her closer and explained all that he had learned from his father about the engagement.

At the end of his account, something happened to Serenity before Arian was able to softly wipe away her tears. She had violently jolted in his embrace and crumbled to the floor. He followed her down, as did Mercury, and they both noted that she was fiercely clutching her upper left arm.

"Princess? Are you hurt?" Mercury was already trying to pry the blonde's hands away from her shoulder, but it was a difficult task. Serenity's arms were like vices. As another groan came from her, Arian helped Mercury and they were finally able to sneak a peak at the injured area. They were a little more than confused when they could find nothing there, no bruise or cut or any indication of an injury. Still, the princess groaned again. "Sere? Does your shoulder hurt on the inside? Is it something we cannot see?"

Serenity's only answer was to turn on the floor and whisper, "Mamo-chan."

…..

"Prince!" called a frightened Kunzite. He quickly disposed of his current adversary and sprinted towards his liege. He, like his prince and the rest of the men in their company, were unaware that a division of archers had hidden themselves in a nearby tangle of trees. No one had had enough time to react before the first line of arrows was fired. Unfortunately, that left them all defenseless for attack.

Though initially the prince had stumbled back at the hit, he was admirably able to continue fighting off the soldiers in front of him. Still, he let out a long sigh of relief as Kunzite and a few of his men came to his aid. As they formed a protective cocoon, he was able to safely fall to the ground. The pain was unbearable. Not life-threatening, more annoying like a paper cut on one's knuckle.

Carefully, he shifted so that he could look at the injury on his shoulder. He was happy to find that the arrow had missed anything vital and he would probably be able to recover the full use of his arm.

"Are you all right, your highness?" Kunzite had left his fighting men to check on the degree of Endymion's injury. He carefully pressed his fingers around the wound and mumbled under his breath, "Princess Serenity will never forgive me for this."

Endymion's back went rigid. The movement caused Kunzite to accidentally hit the arrow, which, in turn, caused the prince to hiss loudly.

"I am sorry, my liege! I did not mean for that to happen!"

Endymion ignored his fumbling apologies. "Forget it, Kunz. Forget it." He turned his head so that he could stare directly into his general's eyes. "What I want to know is if I heard you say the name Serenity." As if speaking the name called her to him, Endymion immediately felt her presence swell within him. He could barely keep from shaking his head in astonishment. An entire planet away and their connection still held true.

She sent a hug of compassion that he could have sworn he actually felt. He also noted, however, that she was in pain. Ironically, it was his injury that was hurting her. Before he could continue his semi-conversation with his beloved, Kunzite stumbled over an explanation.

"Yes, sire, you did. I…I ran into her at the teleportation room in the palace. She was the one who informed me that I had to find you so that we could come to this battle. She also asked that I prevent anything from happening to you." He ran a hand through his long hair. "And since you were hit by an arrow, she is going to flay me alive."

Endymion was a little more than confused. Why would Serenity tell Kunzite about their relationship? It didn't make sense. His confusion slipped through to his princess via their link and she answered with a brief flash of Kunzite and Venus in the Moon gardens.

/ 'He knew I was the Moon Princess when we ran into each other at your palace. I felt no need to keep the rest from him. He is in the same predicament as we are.' /

This new piece of information had the prince raising an eyebrow to his friend. Kunzite had to halt in his efforts to remove the arrow because of it. "The woman you were talking about last month on the balcony? When I asked about love at first sight? That was the senshi of Venus?"

There was a slight fear in his general's eye. "Y-yes, prince. But however did you find that out?"

And so the conversation continued. They talked about Endymion's bonding and of their relationships. Anything to keep the prince's mind off of the fact that Kunzite had broken the arrow and was pulling it out of his shoulder.

…..

Serenity sucked in a breath as another sharp pain lanced through her arm. The arrow had been removed and she could imagine the large amount of blood that must have been oozing from her prince's wound. She wished she could do something to help.

'But of course!'

While Arian and Mercury were still fretting about her, she pressed her right hand to her left shoulder tightly. A few seconds later, shining, silver light spread around her hand.

…..

Endymion didn't know what to think when he suddenly felt his arm flex of its own free will. Seconds later, blood stop pouring from his wound and he watched as his tissues and tendons melded back together. Kunzite fell back to land ungracefully on his behind. "What on Earth is happening?"

The prince was asking the exact same question to himself.

/ 'Hope that helps, my love.' /

Endymion smirked. Of course, it was his dearest who had done it. Somewhere amongst their interviews earlier that day, the prince had asked carelessly and playfully if Serenity had any special powers being a Lunarian. The princess promptly replied, quite seriously, that she was gifted with the power of healing. Not all Lunarians were blessed with the power, only a few here and there and she was one of them. The only setback, she continued despite her black-haired companion's slack-jawed state, was that she could only heal others, not herself.

All of this was quickly explained to Kunzite before he decided to have a coronary. After a bit of mumbling on the general's part, something about how it was unfair that the prince had his own portable first aid kit and he didn't, the two men jumped back into battle.

…..

It seemed like such a short time ago when she had experienced all of that, but, in truth, it had been several hours before. Now, Serenity sat in her bedroom in a trance. Arian and Mercury had carefully guided her there after the engagement ceremony. Well, that was only partially true.

They had initially tried to slip her out a side door in the grand hall when she requested a private meeting with the queen. Mercury could only cringe from outside the office doors as the princess screamed for the engagement to be revoked. Queen Serenity merely shook her head. The fact that her daughter did not wish to be married to Arian in no way changed the fact that they were going to be married. The queen tried to reason with her by saying that at least she was engaged to a dear friend and not a stranger. Had it not been for Mars's intervention earlier that week, the queen had planned to make marriage arrangements with the nobleman Mertan Derahn of Destine. Either way, the princess was to be married in three months time.

More arguing and shouting and screaming and several other unpleasant things occurred before Serenity exited the room. Her face was colorless and devoid of any emotion. Mercury carefully gave her a hug of sympathy before Arian slipped his arm around the blonde's waist to guide her down the palace halls.

Serenity let out a mournful cry at the memory. Her mother had barely even listened to her. She had just wasted her time yelling at a brick wall.

'Usako! Usako, what is wrong!'

There was no outward indication that the blonde had heard Endymion. She merely continued to sit on her bed, her hands folded in her lap. She stared straight ahead at her bedroom wall.

'Are you all right?'

Standing up demurely, she took precise steps to her armoire. A few pulls and tugs later had her standing in her nightgown with her dress on a hanger. She turned and began walking to her bed. There was still some light out, but she hadn't the energy to do anything but sleep.

'Usako!'

Her steps faltered.

'Please, tell me what has happened. You are scaring me. Usako…'

"No…" she mumbled. Her head was shaking and her hands came up to hold it as if she were in pain. "NOOOOOOO!" The floor caught her as she crumbled.

The two guards who were always stationed outside of her door turned in panic. One immediately ran to get a senshi, while the other knocked on their liege's door. "Princess!" When he wasn't answered, he knocked harder. "Princess! Are you all right!" After several more knocks and yells, the guard was about to break the door down. He stopped when he felt the senshi of Venus lay a hand on his shoulder.

"Do not worry. I can sense her and she is not in any trouble physically. Let me speak with her." The young man nodded and watched in amazement as Venus jolted the door lock with a burst of power. The door practically opened on its own after that.

Once inside, Venus was not nearly as calm as she had been. She ran to her princess who was sprawled out on the floor next to her bed. Heaving sobs wracked her body and she held her hands in tight fists. Venus approached very cautiously. When she was inches from the other blonde, she knelt on the ground and ran a hand through the other girl's hair. "Shh, princess. Tell me what troubles you."

Serenity didn't acknowledge her.

…..

"Another one?"

"Yes, your highness. This particular uprising began a few weeks ago. The Terrans have handled it well with a low casualty rate and several territorial victories. However, the dark side's soldiers are not dwindling in number. No matter how many the Terrans kill, more are made to replace them. Their power has greatly increased since the last uprising the year before. It will be several weeks more before the Terrans can reasonably contain them." The page checked his charts once more to make sure than he had covered all of the necessary information.

The queen nodded. "It is as we predicted. The darkness is not at full force yet, though they may already be past the half way point." Queen Serenity took a moment to think, a moment that found the page nervously shifting his weight from foot to foot.

"Though I hate to hold any faith in those atrocious Earthlings, we shall wait to see if their forces can subdue the darkness. However, if they fail to stop the uprising, we must increase our alert. Double security. Four men where once there was two. Only if the uprising is successful. If it fails like the others, then the darkness has not gained as much power as we have assumed and there will still yet be time before we need to prepare ourselves."

"Yes, of course, your highness."

She nodded to him in dismissal as if she were bored. Once he had gone and the door closed behind him, she let a sly grin grace her face. The queen was sure that she had heard her daughter scream somewhere in the middle of her conversation with the page. She would be surprised if the entire palace had not heard. No matter. It was about time that spoiled girl felt the cool hand of discipline.

…..

She was being held by the captain of her guard. Correction: She was being fiercely held by the captain of her guard. Serenity could have sworn that the other girl was in worse shape than she was.

At the moment she was trying to pretend it was all just a sick dream. A very sick, very twisted dream. How could fate possibly be cruel enough to introduce her to the love of her life only to have her intended to marry another? It had to be a dream because fate wasn't cruel. Oh, wait. She was. Scratch that theory.

So it was real. And so far she was unable to think of anything that she could do to fix the situation. She had already yelled profusely at her mother and that had gotten her nowhere. Arian had informed her earlier that he had tried yelling profusely at his father and that, too, had gained them no ground. She would have tried to run away to the Earth, but then she eventually would have missed her home. Well, she assumed she would miss it. People usually missed their homes when they ran away, didn't they?

If anything, she would miss the silver grass and seeing the Earth large in the sky. She would miss the Sea of Serenity with its placid waves. And she would miss her friends. Mercury had stood by her since she was a child. The other senshi she barely knew and they, in turn, only knew enough about her to be able to protect her. Oh, and she would miss Venus. They had just begun to get to know each other and the captain of her guard was really a sweet girl.

Which is why she appreciated the fact that Venus was there with her, comforting her.

…..

It had been a month – a month! – and he could bare it no longer. Not that he ever could, mind you. The day Serenity had shut him out, he felt like his world had fallen apart. He had been so worried about her when he felt her emotions drop to the freezing point. Despite all of his efforts, she would not tell him what had happened. He fretted for days, pacing when he should have been sleeping and bringing rage to his sword in battle when he should have stayed calm.

The not knowing ate away at him for a long time. Until one day when he woke up and finally convinced himself that he had to move on. She wouldn't tell him what had happened. She wouldn't tell him anything, for that matter. Something had happened to her and, no matter how worried he was for her, she pushed him away and acted as if she didn't know him. If she was going to forget him, he had to find a way to forget her too.

It would have been much easier had he at least been able to allay his fears by talking to her face to face. However, he was still in the midst of battle and could not make a secret trip up to the Moon anytime soon.

There was a loud cheer outside. Jadeite threw open the flap of his tent and stuck his head inside. "They have fallen back! Did you hear that! They have finally fallen back!" He promptly dropped the flap and ran to spread the news to someone else.

A retreat? Endymion shook his head in disbelief.

Now, what had he been saying? That he couldn't make a trip to the Moon because he was in the thick of battle? Well, it seemed that fate was on his side.

Another face popped into his tent. It was Zoicite with a big grin on his face. He merely hooted in joy before running off to join Jadeite.

Two seconds later, Endymion was interrupted by Kunzite. Not only his head, but his entire body entered the tent. "Great news, your highness."

It's now or never, he thought. "And I can imagine that the second we return home, you will be sneaking into the teleportation room for a trip to a certain moon?"

Kunzite blushed becomingly. Endymion would never be able to get over the vast difference in his friend's attitude whenever Venus was mentioned. He turned from ice captain to school boy with the flick of a hand. It was remarkable.

"I would like to join you."

The general choked on his smile. He raised his head to stare at his prince with watery eyes. "Excuse me, highness?"

"You heard me, Kunz. I would like to join you. There is something that I must speak to the princess about."

"But if you are caught, then…"

"Then what? I would be punished just that same as you would be if you were caught. Seeing as how you have managed several trips over the past several months and have yet to be seen by a guard, I think I might possibly be able to manage just this one excursion." There would be no persuading him. Endymion was going to go and that was final. He made it clear to Kunzite, on the other hand, that he would much prefer traveling with his general than without. Kunzite new the Moon Palace and could coerce Venus into sneaking the princess away to a secluded spot for him.

…..

The breeze was cool. The sky was clear. It was a beautiful evening. Sheer white drapes were ruffled by the smooth gusts of wind that were sneaking through Serenity's open balcony doors. Not a soul on the Moon would have had trouble sleeping that night.

That might have been why it was so startling to see Venus briskly walking into her bedroom from the balcony. She seemed fully awake and active. Was she plagued with thoughts of Kunzite like Serenity was with thoughts of Endymion? That could be the only logical explanation as to why the two weren't sleeping like two young babes.

"You are coming with me."

"What?" Her question went unanswered as Venus grabbed her hand and began to drag her out onto the balcony. "Where are you going?"

"We. We are going to your sea."

"My sea?"

Venus turned her head over her shoulder and winked. "The Sea of Serenity."

"Oh, Venus," she giggled. "It is not my sea."

"It was named after your bloodline. That is good enough for me." The senshi picked her princess up and jumped cleanly down into the gardens below without a second thought. Serenity had the good grace to flush at the excitement of it all.

She was loathe to admit that she liked the spontaneity of the situation.

She opened her mouth but forced it shut when Venus snapped back at her, "No more questions. You have been brooding in your room, alone, for long enough. We girls are going to have some fun."

A shadowy figure could be seen up ahead. It was leaning against the tall brick wall that enclosed the palace. Upon closer inspection, Serenity recognized the figure as a girl and as a senshi. "Ami-chan!"

Mercury smiled.

"You invited Ami along too?" the princess asked her captain.

"But of course! All your favorites are attending tonight. It is a celebration for you." Venus was about to pick her princess up again to carry her in a leap over the wall when she was knocked forward. Serenity had thrown herself into Venus's back while wrapping her arms around the girl's neck. "Serenity?"

The blonde just hugged tighter and pressed her cheek against her senshi's. "Thank you, Venus. You are the best."

…

Not two minutes later, the three escapees were running wildly across the outer grasses of the palace. Serenity was still insanely impressed with how very high her senshi could jump, but pushed her admiration to the side as the wind tugged at her hair. She was smiling. Gods, she had almost forgotten the feeling.

Speeding up as much as she could she was able to catch up with her guard. It irked her to no end that they were nowhere near giving it their all and they were miles ahead of her. High jumps, fast speeds, Serenity supposed there must have been several other wonderful things bred into a senshi on top of that. She sighed, flung out her arms and let out a laugh as she tumbled along.

"I love you, girls. I hope you know that. I really, truly love you!" she yelled the last line while twirling once in a circle and then continuing forward. Reminiscing about when she was on the Earth and running just as wildly through green grasses, she closed her eyes and absorbed the night.

She was jolted to alertness when someone grabbed her around the waist to catch her. "Easy there! If you run that fast, you might just continue right on into the lake!"

Her eyes opened wide. "Ari-chan!" she screamed in delight. She fell forward in his embrace and gave him a tight hug. "You are here, too!"

His warm, amber eyes sparkled. "Would I let you girls have all the fun?" He kissed her temple. "Of course I am here, Sere." His voice dropped to a lower pitch as he whispered, "I am always here for you."

"Now, now. Do not forget about me, your highness."

That proper tone. That husky voice. Serenity's smile grew wider as she let go of Arian and turned to her left. A tall, toned man with long, white hair was standing a few feet away.

"Still as formal as ever, Kunzite," she said as she curtseyed. Then, and without any warning, she flung herself at him just as she had done with the others. She whispered into his ear, "It is so good to see you."

"You, too, princess."

Serenity felt tears prick the backs of her eyes. She clung tighter to the general. He, in concern, returned the favor. The whisper "I missed you" almost slipped past her lips before she could catch it. She had to reprimand herself. 'It is not him. He may smell of the Earth and of those beautiful red flowers known as roses, but he is not the one.'

Pulling away, partly in embarrassment, she let Venus take her place. The small bit of water in her eyes dried quickly as she began to talk cheerfully with her friends. They waded in the sea and splashed each other for the fun of it. It was a great night, just what the princess needed.

…

After at least an hour had passed, the group's energy started to fade. Their humor and joy stayed with them, however. Kunzite and Venus were sitting together while leaning against a tree next to the beach. Arian and Mercury were having a contest of sandcastles just a few feet away. Serenity stood somewhere in the middle, enjoying the conversation of both pairs.

Her laughter at a joke that Arian had cracked stopped dead when she saw a dark form out of the corner of her eye. It was about ten feet inland and facing the sea. Serenity shuddered when she saw it start to walk towards her. She felt trapped knowing that the sea was a few feet behind her and that there were groves of trees to her sides.

"Ven-Venus. Ami-chan…" her voice trailed off. The two girls took notice of her sudden fear, as did the men. They all turned their heads to see what their friend was seeing. They made no move once they saw the dark shape.

That didn't make Serenity feel any better. The figure was still hidden by the shadow of the tree that Venus and Kunzite were leaning against. She couldn't see anything but its feet that were still steadily coming towards her. "Venus! Do not you see it? Quick! We must get out of here!"

She took a step back towards the water.

The figure took another step forward. The moonlight finally began to shed more light upon him as he passed the last shadow of the tree. It crept up his legs and past his waist. As his face finally came into view with one last step, Serenity gasped.

"I assure you, princess, that I am no one to fear."

End Chapter 7

……….

Well? she asks with a questioning look in her eye I wrote this chapter in about two or three hours...one of those 'It came to me' type of things. - I hope the speed with which it was written didn't detract from the chapter as a whole.

Please send any comments to me, Sereko.


	9. Chapter 8

Affair by Sereko

I'd apologize for the long delay again, but I feel like that's all I ever do. Just know that I'm in a foreign country right now having the time of my life and so updates will be sparse. Sorry! I, as a fellow reader of fanfiction, know how annoying and frustrating that is to here. I hope that these two new chapters I'm updating for you right now will appease you all somewhat. Enjoy this here Chapter 8...it's one of the best chapters to date, if I do say so myself. It is also the pinnacle of romance for this story - the calm before the storm, if you will. Enjoy!!

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters associated with the story (except for Prince Arian). I merely use Naoko Takeuchi's genius as a starting point for my own storytelling.

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Chapter 8

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            Everything in her system halted. 

            It was him. It was HIM! And with that realization, Serenity fell back into the stupor that she had been in for the past month. Her friends noticed it immediately and cringed. They hoped that the visitor would be able to knock her out of it. Permanently. 

            "Usako." There was so much pain in his voice that everyone present wanted to shed a tear. 

            "Mamo-chan," her voice was dull, lifeless. Her friends were shocked by her response. The fact that she said anything was a miracle, but they were more blown away by the extreme intimacy of the nicknames that were being used. 

            "I had to see you. I am sorry if it bothers you," he spat the words out almost as an accusation. "Last month when I felt your anguish, I pleaded with you to tell me what had happened. You ignored me. Do you know how much that hurt? You shut me out like I was some stranger. A stranger!" he roared the words. "And I managed to last a month. A month without knowing why or how or what had happened to you. I had almost accepted the fact that you would not talk to me telepathically or empathically," he was interrupted by three large intakes of breath. Empathically? What was going on? How were the two connected in such a way? Kunzite whispered the answer in Venus' ear and her shock nearly made her faint. Endymion ignored them and continued on, "But I had not yet given up hope that if I were to see you face to face, I would be able to learn the answer."

            He took two more steps closer to her. Since she had not moved backward to accommodate him, the two were standing only a foot apart. 

            "So tell me. Please. What has happened?" He earnestly looked into her eyes. "I will be able to move on like you have if you at least answer me."

            Her gaze was blind and her eyes grey. He nearly wept at the sight. 

            After a long, pregnant pause, she spoke. 

            "I am engaged."

            Endymion could not process that. Instinctively, he asked in very calm and very collected manner, "What did you say?"

            "I am engaged."

            "Engaged?" How could he do anymore than repeat that?

            "Yes."

            "To whom?"

            "To me." The tall, brown haired man named Arian had walked up behind Serenity. He was the one that answered. Endymion's eyes shifted to his for but a moment before they returned to the angel before him. 

            "I…I do not understand," his words split as his breath started to become shallow. His stance was taught and his heart increased in speed. He had to hold himself back from absorbing the information and simply falling to pieces.

            Serenity replied just as she had before, with a cool breeze pervading her lungs, "I am engaged to marry Prince Arian of Mars. My mother made the arrangements last month while I was on Earth. I was informed of the engagement when I returned to the Moon." She didn't even flinch.

            To prevent himself from breaking down right then and there, the prince laughed weakly. "This is some sick joke, is it not?" Yes, he assured himself, it had to be. Kunzite and Venus had spilled the beans to her about his surprise visit and she was just getting back at him for it. That had to be it. 

            "That was Serenity's reaction to the news, as well. But I must answer you as I did her and say that no, it is not a joke  - no matter how much we all wish it were." Mercury said as she stood up to join the conversation. She continued, "I understand now why this arrangement affected the princess as much as it did. There she was, just returning from a romp in the hay with you, only to find out that she had to marry her best friend. I say it is for the best. Heathens like you should stay away from princesses like her!" she hissed with steel lining her voice. 

            "Mercury!" Venus thundered. She halted her prepared onslaught when Endymion lifted his hand.

            He had to do this quick. He had only come to say goodbye anyway, right? "It seems I am unwelcome here. I shall leave at once, in that case. I got the answer I came for." Turning briskly, he figured he had a good twenty yards in him before he needed to lean against a tree and cry in a very unmanly way.

            There was silence at his back. 

            Venus and Kunzite watched with sad eyes. They had set this meeting up so that Serenity and Endymion could talk long and thoughtfully about the engagement. They were supposed to be reasonable and find some way to work things out. The two were bonded for heaven's sake! It was not like they could just accept the facts and go their separate ways. Serenity had pretended to for the last month and her soul was deteriorating because of it. 

            "How many…How many times are we going to run away from each other?" Serenity laughed miserably. "I know I have tried twice and both times you were able to stop me." Everyone watched as she walked forward. She paused when she reached Endymion's stiff and stoic form. 

            "Please ignore Ami's words. She is just trying to protect me. Her methods are harsh, but they work." Her hand stretched out and fell to his back. She let it slide down the side of his arm until her fingers brushed up against his. "Do you understand? You should, for I used the same methods to protect you." She gripped his hand tightly. 

            "I shut you out so that you would not feel what I was feeling, so that you would not have to experience the same pain. I did not do it because I had stopped caring about you." With a little pressure here and there she was able to turn Endymion around to face her. "I love you. I always will," she said as she stroked the side of his face, "Which is why I did not want you to feel this!" Serenity pulled back a step and threw out her arms. The onlookers could feel electricity ignite in the air around them and turned to stare in awe of the princess.  

            Endymion cried out painfully when Serenity opened her flood gates. The feelings inside her were unbearably potent. He hunched forward and grabbed onto the blonde's shoulders for support. His knees begged to buckle beneath him but he wouldn't let them. Everything inside of him was constricting in defense at the assault. It was virtually impossible for him to relax his muscles and calm himself down. 

            Kunzite would have run to his prince's side had Venus not gripped his arm. She was having trouble breathing. Though she was sure that she couldn't feel her princess as well as Endymion could, her powers let her feel quite enough. 

            "Sere! What is going on? What are you doing to him?!" screamed Arian. When he saw the prince scrunch his face in pain once more, he bellowed, "Stop it!!"

            "No!" the denial was urgent on Endymion's part. His eyes burned holes into Serenity's. "I would rather feel this…this intensity than nothing at all. I could not bare it if you shut me out again, whether for my protection or not."

            He drew himself together hastily so that he could stand straight and lighten his grip on Serenity's shoulders. One of his hands slipped to her neck and massaged the skin it touched. The other rose to her face as he dropped the back of his knuckles against her smooth cheek. "If we are to find a way through this life together, we have to learn how to live with these emotions and control them." He took a half step forward so that he was pressed up against the princess. "We have to call on our other, stronger emotions to overpower the bad ones and guide us along. So," he whispered while slipping a thumb under Serenity's chin and raising it, "feel free to let your anguish consume you and I will show you something that can keep it at bay."

            While four pairs of eager eyes watched, Endymion leaned down to kiss his beloved.

            She did not respond to him at first. Her heart was in her eyes and her body was weak, but she was unable to immediately respond. 'What is wrong with you?' she mentally screamed. He was here. After all of the longing that had flittered through her when embracing Kunzite, she was rewarded with the real thing. Yet she could do nothing more than stand stiffly in his grasp. 

            It was too hard, she decided. There were too many restrictions. Too many laws. Too many reasons why everything should stop. While she valued her freedom, at that moment she reached for boundaries. She needed control. She needed to bring herself together as she always had before and be a princess. Her duties and her kingdom had forever been at the top of her list of priorities and they would continue to be. Queen Serenity taught her firsthand how family and love fell deeply to the bottom. 

            Strengthening her resolve was not as easy as she had hoped when a lover's lips were touching her own. Even pulling away was not as successful a venue. The four audience members inhaled sharply as they watched her try. 

            ['I am not going to let you retreat again. I will not let you hide behind your icy mask. We have to defeat these problems together.'] Endymion's telepathic proclamation sent a lightning bolt through Serenity's system. He had her in a corner and wasn't going to let her get away again. The princess felt trapped. A sense of panic started to spiral around her system. She desperately tried to get away from him and the feelings he was sending her. 

            Despair had been so much easier. It had let her walk through life without the complications of emotions. She had ignored all but what she was supposed to focus on as a leader of the people. Everything had been just fine. 

            A little voice nagged at her, 'Wrong. Letting despair guide you had made things simple but it had also made things painful.' Serenity tried to block the realization from her mind. It found a way to seep in, though, just as Endymion's affection was managing to seep into her heart. 

            If she followed the prince's logic and let love act as a defense against all-consuming sadness, then she would be vulnerable again. It occurred to the blonde that there were worse things than being vulnerable to the man you loved. 

-----

            Endymion felt the change come, as slow as it was. 

            The universe rejoiced with him when Serenity finally responded to his touch. Off to his left, Venus gratefully sunk into Kunzite's arms. She had followed her princess on the blonde's emotional rollercoaster just as the prince had and was happy for it to be over. The arms surrounding her squeezed her tighter. The senshi was barely able to lift her eyes to those of her general before he placed a chaste kiss upon her lips. "Everything will be all right, now," he whispered.

And everything was all right, for a while. 

            Endymion and Serenity were able to coordinate secret meetings a few times each week. Venus and Kunzite did as much as they could to cover for the two…while arranging for their own meetings at the same time. Oftentimes they used the excuse that Serenity was going to visit Arian at Mars or something of the sort. 

            Queen Serenity became thoroughly thrilled that the two monarchs that were once so reluctant to become engaged had turned a new leaf and were courting each other as they ought. She sped up the wedding plans to accommodate them. Needless to say, the excuse backfired. 

            The princess found that when she wasn't sneaking off to Earth or to the Sea of Serenity during the day, a seamstress was fitting her for her elaborate wedding dress. If she was not being bombarded with dress alterations, gardeners were showing her bouquets of flowers and chefs were consulting her about the menu. Throughout it all, she tried to focus on the fact that her mother was finally including her in some of the decision-making, however, she could not block out the very scary truth…

            She was to be married in less than two months. 

            To a man she didn't love.

            The desperation that those two thoughts brought had her going to meet Endymion all the more often. They did as much as they could together. 

            They took walks, 

-----

            "What beautiful sand! I have never seen such wonder!" Serenity exclaimed as she kicked up another pile of the soft, golden pebbles. 

            Endymion smiled affectionately at her. "I could say the same for the sand upon the Moon. We have a few white beaches in the more exotic locations here, but they give off nothing like silver sheen that yours do."

            With impish delight, the blonde grabbed her companion's hand and pulled him with her as she skittered through the rising surf. When her feet sunk beneath the waves, she let out a happy squeal. The sound tempted Endymion until he ran up behind her and whisked her up in his arms. 

            The joyful tinkle of Serenity's laughter floated amongst the ocean breeze miles down the abandoned shore. 

-----

            had picnics, 

-----

            Serenity quieted, enjoying the sweet, rich taste as it slid down her throat. "They're good." She turned to Endymion and smiled. 

            "Are they?" he asked absently as he looked deeply into her eyes. Serenity noticed him drawing forward and found herself following him.

            "Mm-hmm."

            "That's good."

            "I thought so."

            Their quiet mumbles died down just as both sets of lips joined together. As the princess' heart soared, she reached out and touched Endymion's emotions with a smile. 

-----

            hiked through Earth's rich forests 

-----

            The leaves were the deepest green that she had ever seen. Their trunks were healthy and strong while touched by a cover of lush moss. It was a stormy day so the air was thick with fog and mist. It trailed through the growth in front of her as if following a plotted path. The water was vibrant and full as it tumbled down a collection of rocks and into a small pool. There was a gathering of wildflowers at her foot. Bright pink and orange grinned up at her as if they knew she would appreciate their vibrancy. 

            A long breath passed through her lips while an approving noise sung from the back of her throat. "I love this place."

            Two sturdy arms wrapped around her from behind. She leaned back into their warmth as she heard, "And I love you," whispered into her ear. 

-----

            and upon the Moon's expansive hills – 

-----

            Endymion was quick to catch her tear and even quicker to catch her lips before she could speak further. The flavor of sun-kissed berries met his senses and he moaned quietly. Her intoxicating aura would get the best of him one day, but not today. He had business to take care of. The Earth Prince pulled away slowly from his angel's sweet lips. He smoothed her cheek with the backs of his fingers as he caressed her heart with soothing words, "Usako, we will find a way past this. There is no way I will let you go without a fight. Queens and kingdoms be damned! I love you, Usako! I love you more than words can say."

            A sad, but genuine smile graced Serenity's lips. "And I you, my prince. I love you." She gripped the hands by her face and kissed the palms of each. Turning her head, she stared out at the huge expanse of the capital city of the Moon. They had climbed to the top of Mount Tryen, which served as a border for the North side of the city.

            Everything, including buildings and people, was shiny and lively in defiance of her turmoil. 

-----

            all the while falling further and further into the abyss of one another.  

-----

            She was sure she had never cried so much in her life. The moment the words were spoken, her body crumbled helplessly to the floor. Sobs shook through her no matter how hard she tried to keep them at bay. 

            This wasn't happening. She couldn't believe it. For four weeks she had managed to affectively seal herself inside a dream world where everything was all right and nothing could go wrong. Her friends and lover were inside that dream world with her, so she had felt no real reason to escape. Now, however, she wished that she had escaped in order to prepare harder or fight longer…anything to keep the truth from hitting her as full-on as it had. 

            But it was too late now. Too late for anything. For magic or miracles. For brute strength or loud voices. 

            There was no escaping.

            There was no changing.

            "The day is upon you, Serenity. You are to be married tomorrow."

End Chapter 8

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So, what, they said "I love you" three or four times in total? *Laughs* My excuse is that they had to. This chapter is supposed to be super-sappy to sum up a month-or-so's worth of meetings between Usa and Mamo. I can't start in on any of the major conflicts before I set a very thorough groundwork of love between the two. ^_-  

Please send ANY comments to me, Sereko. My e-mail is: sereko13@yahoo.com


	10. Chapter 9

Affair by Sereko

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters associated with the story (except for Prince Arian). I merely use Naoko Takeuchi's genius as a starting point for my own storytelling.

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Chapter 9

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7:00am

            The morning light came slowly to her. It did come, however, and she was forced to get out of bed. Shoving aside the curtains that surrounded her four-poster bed, her feet lightly slipped onto the ground below. 

            A full-length mirror across the room reflected her tired form. The white gauzy material of her nightgown flittered around her anxiously. It, like the crisp air and the noisy birds chirping just outside her window, knew what was coming. 

            Serenity sat down at her vanity, a calm expression on her face. Reaching out, she picked up a brush and began to run it carefully through her long hair. 

            Today was the day. 

7:30am

            Maids had finally decided to invade her room a half an hour after she awoke. There were at least ten. Some were setting her wedding bath with fragrant bubbles, white rose petals for purity of soul on the holy occasion, and several softly glowing candles. Others were formally disrobing her and massaging her skin as they uncovered it. Serenity felt that a man should have had that privilege but held her tongue on the matter. She knew it was only part of the ritual preparation. The last of the attendants were laying out her dress and pressing it free of wrinkles. They were also setting out her jewelry and shinning the regal silver that wrapped elegantly and intricately around several freshwater pearls. 

            She would look even more majestic than usual in such trappings. 

            Sighing, the princess allowed the women at her sides to lead her into the large, almost pool-like, bath. It would be hours before she would be let out of the cleansing room – after being thoroughly pampered with lotions and exfoliating creams. Then, the time to pay a visit to the altar of Selene would come.

            Her head dipped under the steaming waters. There was much to come. Too much for a woman who did not wish to be married. 

            It was going to be a long, sad day.

10:30am

            "She has been in preparation for three hours already. Mars says that Arian started his own preparation last night. The queen has been jumping about excitedly all week, fixing flower bouquets and whatnot. Guards have been doubled for the event. The world has gone mad, Minara. Simply mad!" Though Mercury's voice started as an agitated whisper, it increased in volume towards the end. Her anger at being helpless was getting the best of her. 

            With a shudder and a shake of her head, she dropped unceremoniously onto the stone bench that Venus was perched upon. She ran an unsteady hand through her short tresses.   

            "There must be some way to prevent this."

            The blonde next to her turned from her trance to look emotionlessly at her friend. 

            "Do not start, captain. I know what you are going to say. You will tell me that we cannot do anything. This is one of those situations that has no solution. We must only grin and bear it." 

            Venus blinked, trying to keep herself from quirking an eyebrow.

            Mercury shot up defiantly. Her hand and head were raised towards the sky. "Well that is just not good enough!"

            Losing interest in her companion's tirade, Venus turned back to face the West side of the gardens. "No, it is not good enough. But only the gods have the power to grant a happy ending," she murmured to herself. 

12:00pm

            He was pacing. He had started off sitting in a chair tapping his foot, but when his comrade glared at him because of the incessant noise he was forced to stand up. In his mind, the other man should have been pacing, too – even more vigorously than he. 

            Instead, the younger man was calmly sitting in his chair. Ok, not calmly. Resignedly. A pile of papers lay strewn across the desk in front of him. It served as evidence of work that had once been started. Anyone who looked carefully, however, would have noticed that signatures were missing and plans were unformed. A feather laid listlessly, its end untouched by ink. The hand resting next to it was uncurled but tense. 

            The man that it belonged to was known by the entirety of the planet beneath his feet. Yet, with all that power, he was unable to prevent the worst moment in his life. If only his identity were not so forbidden. Being able to come forth and claim Serenity's hand as his own would've lead to a traditional and understandable duel with the current fiancé. He would have won the fight, of course, and he and his new bride could flee civilization forever. 

            Then again, if his identity were not forbidden, none of the Martian marriage plans would have ever come to pass. He could have courted Serenity in public from the start and they would have lived happily ever after as King and Queen.

            Endymion shook his head piteously, raking a calloused hand through his tresses. He sounded like a five-year-old spouting the ideals of fairy tales. 

If only five-year-olds knew of broken hearts, then no happiness would ever shine upon the world. 

            And then he would have been prepared for this. 

            Unhappy, but prepared.

3:00pm

            After spending four long, relaxing hours in the bathhouse, the Moon Princess had been ushered to a formal dining hall. It was a room Serenity had visited less than twice in her entire life for it was only used for very special occasions and, even then, rarely used by anyone other than the royal family. It was basically a ritual room.

            A specific menu had been prepared by the highest-ranking chef in the palace. A holy man stood by to sanctify and bless each dish. The princess received small servings of light foods to keep her body tantalizingly empty so that she might look forward to the fullness of spirit her husband would give her. Baby greens with a light vinaigrette started the meal, followed closely by a helping of veal and mushroom sauce with caramelized fruit and wafers for desert. 

            The ceremonial acceptance of food segued slowly into a parade to the main entrance of the palace. That was where Serenity was now, walking slowly from the entrance to a path that led to the altar of Selene. Her mother took sure steps before her, head held high. 

            The altar was an open affair, six pillars standing tall as the six points of a Lunarian star but without a ceiling laid upon them. In the center was elegantly carved marble in the shape of the supreme goddess. Her robes draped in waves along her body stopping at her pointed toes. One arm was raised to touch the sky, the other lying along her side and reaching out to accept the offerings of her patrons. 

            Water ran in rivulets along the marble flooring of the temple. It touched Serenity's newly bared feet as she knelt in front of the dais. Her mother knelt next to her. Neither had spoken a word to each other since the beginning of the parade. The princess was sure that the queen was merely holding her words until she alone could hear them. If she knew her monarch well enough, she guessed that the older woman would say something derogatory once their prayer silence had ended. 

            The silence was meant to last a half an hour and it did. The queen mother had prayed for a healthy female heir within the coming year and her child prayed for the strength to overcome her mother. A tear slipped down Serenity's cheek at the end for she had also wished for the strength to live without Endymion and the mere thought was deafening. 

            "You slouched during the precession. I hope never to see such horrible posture on you again."

            Had Serenity had a watch, she would have noted that it had only taken her mother 36 seconds after the end of the silence to bore in on her. 

            "Yes, majesty," she whispered. 

            The queen was quick to throw the girl a sideways glance. "If this wedding has brought me anything, I am happy that it was your subservience."

            Serenity dropped her chin to her chest. 

5:00pm

            "There is only an hour left."

            Mercury slammed her fists into the wall in front of her. "I cannot stand this! There must be something someone can do!"

            Venus sighed and solemnly looked at the grass at her feet. 

5:00pm

            "There is only an hour left."

            "You do not have to remind me!" screamed a black-haired man. He had ventured into the outer courtyard with his companion once he had felt too confined sitting in his office. The courtyard also gave him more room on its long gravel paths for him to pace, something he had started not long after his previous conversation with the general. 

            "Can you just stand here?" Kunzite ventured.

            Endymion threw a glare over his shoulder and answered childishly, "I am not standing. I am pacing." Without waiting for Kunzite's retort, he delved in, "What else can I do, my friend? Run into the middle of the Moon Palace and snatch her up for all to see?" There was no chance of that happening. He would have been killed on the spot. There was nothing he could do, Endymion knew. He just had to face the facts. 

            His affair with Serenity was over. 

            It was fun while it lasted…while it lasted. The prince's head dropped. 

            "What am I to do, Kunzite?"

            The general was in a state of equal disappointment. It wasn't as if no one knew of the eventual outcome of Serenity and Endymion's fling, but there had been a hope that something would change. Why couldn't something change?

            "I do not know if anyone can answer that question, Endy, not even me."

            If he had hoped for it, Kunzite would have been disappointed to find that Endymion had noticed his slip of the tongue. How could he not? For the fifteen or more years that Kunzite had been enlisted in the royal service, not once had he broken formality or protocol. 

            With his emotions hanging on such a thin wire, Endymion was unable to keep hold after such a revolutionary proclamation. His face turned to show his pain and he clasped his good friend without reserve. "Thank you," he breathed almost reverently. 

            The white-haired stoic was glad to embrace his liege in return. "You need a friend. For the first time, your own strength is not enough. I will always be here for you during these times, Endy. Always."

6:00pm

            There were hundreds upon hundreds of people filling the throne room. All were decked out in their very best silks, everyone a varying shade of white for the grand occasion. The bride was not to blend in, despite her matching white gown, simply because of the brilliant aura that emanated off her. The candles in the ballroom had a way of reflecting off of the freshwater pearls sown into the material and incorporated into the jewelry that made the princess glow as she walked. 

            Her groom was equally debonair in his trappings, as was the queen. They had made their own ritualistic entrances earlier and were standing at different points of the throne's dais awaiting the princess. 

            Arian could not have explained to anyone what he felt like as he awaited the marriage of himself to his best friend. He definitely sensed a chill coming from the general direction of Queen Serenity and was more than willing to accommodate the monarch with an icy wind from himself. The servant of Selene that stood next to the queen finally finished his introductory speech and Arian was almost thrilled to pieces when he heard the scuffle of feet at the other end of the room. 

            Two imperious guards posted on the inside of the doors took their time in prying the large wooden structures apart. The wait only grated on Arian's nerves more. 

            'Please, if there are any benevolent powers in the heavens then stop this. So many lives will be ruined. Please, I beg of you.' The door creaked another foot apart. 'I cannot bear to see my dear friend's face. Oh, Sere, would that I could fix this situation for you. Would that I could.' The guards sped up after noticing everyone's anxious moods and slid the doors fully open.

5:50pm

            She felt guilty. She felt horribly guilty. Never had she turned her fighting skills upon ones undeserving until then. She had to, she rationalized. It was as simple as that. 

            'I am sorry, my friends, but I had to.'

            With a quick check to make sure that no serious injuries were inflicted, the woman proceeded out of the doors to her right. The hallways were abandoned. Of course they were, every human being – guard and visitor alike – was filling and surrounding the throne room. Several dozen other guards were patrolling the outer perimeter, but none filled the hallways. She couldn't help but smile. 

            It seemed like only an instant later before she stood in front of her savior. Let the goddesses rejoice that she had a key to her freedom. A frail, unstable one…but a key none-the-less. 

            'Take me, my savior. Take me away from this pain.'

6:00pm

            Endymion had asked to be alone when the time finally came. He had, however, told Kunzite to remain relatively close. There was no way he would be able to suffer the pain of the moment without a shoulder to lean on afterwards. But for now, he wanted to send all of his thoughts and feelings to his dearest Serenity.

            ['I love you.']

            His telepathy was a garbled mess, but he was sure that she at least understood, even if the distance prevented her from hearing his words precisely. With a strangled cry the prince listened to the bells of his home toll that the hour had come. 

            She was lost to him. 

            The Earth shuddered as he fell upon its soil like a lump of coal. 

            Using every fiber of his being, he sent out what would be the last message he would ever send to her…

            ['Be happy.']

End Chapter 9

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Two points of note for this chapter: 1) The wedding is *supposed* to only incorporate the Moon's rituals and procedures as opposed to being a mixture of Martian and Lunarian. This is mainly because the Moon is the ruling kingdom of the entire system, so its procedures are to be revered above all others. 2) I realize that whenever I flip in between the Earth and the Moon, times of day do not change. I do this in previous chapters, as well. This is for simplicity's sake. It is easier to follow to story without having to compute hour differences and figure out why all of a sudden Serenity goes from a rainy night to a sunny day.  

Please send ANY comments to me, Sereko. My e-mail is: sereko13@yahoo.com


	11. Chapter 10

Affair by Sereko

I can't excuse how long it has taken me to update. Let's just leave it at: Life took me on a journey, one that I'm immensely grateful for but that left me little time to do much writing or posting. I'm eternally sorry, but will try my best never to be as out of contact as I have been. Gomen!

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters associated with the story (except for Prince Arian). I merely use Naoko Takeuchi's genius as a starting point for my own storytelling.

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Chapter 10

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She was a fool. In the emotional state that she was in, she should have known better. She had been frantic when she arrived and was forced to scurry in an unknown direction when a pair of guards blocked her usual path. And now she was lost.

The forest around her was aged and creaking in the evening wind. None of the trees looked familiar, none of the alcoves she had passed sparked her memory and none of the noises surrounding her hinted that she was near the river she so often visited. She had been told that the river ran along most of the Eastern section of the forest, which meant that since she couldn't hear it, she must have been far to the West.

A rather rabid looking squirrel pounced down from a tree to land near her feet. With a barely concealed scream of fright, she sped up her pace to get away from it. Unfortunately, she didn't know in which direction she was headed and by looking around her she seemed to think that she was moving in the opposite direction than what she wanted. Taking a moment to pause and collect her thoughts, her hand reached out to press against a tree.

Since when did trees have solid, sleek bark that was cool to the touch?

Never, the girl decided and immediately retracted her hand. Turning her head to the left, she was met with the gruesome face of a corrupted Terran. His armor was what she had touched. Her eyes widened. There was a black mark emblazoned on his forehead that she knew to mean only one thing: he was a soldier for the evil powers of Earth.

It took less than a second for her survival skills to kick in. She was out of sight and ten feet down the path going at a speed faster than anything she had ever run.

Several pairs of feet could be heard not too far behind her. They were heavy and told of at least some form of battle skill. Even with her trusty sword and self-sacrificial magic powers she wouldn't have stood very much of a chance against the ten or so men that she could sense behind her. Her heels pounded harder on the ground beneath her as she ducked to dodge a low tree branch.

'You are better than them, Serenity. They may have the dark powers behind them, but they are just minions without a mind of their own,' the fleeing girl thought as she weaved in and out of trees and shrubs. A few pine needles and stray branches nicked her cheeks and arms as she ran, but nothing injured her enough to stop her. Her heartbeat was jumping against her chest so desperately that she thought it would burst and her limp body would be left for her assailants.

A dark feeling passed over her. At first she thought it was coming from Endymion until she remembered that he had shut himself off from her when he thought she was getting married. Before she could imagine any other reason why such a creepy feeling was crawling up her spine, something clasped the back of her dress. The grimy hand was quickly followed by another that wrapped its fingers securely around her right wrist.

Serenity's body tensed exponentially and then started to shiver uncontrollably. "Get off of me!" she screamed with everything she had in her. "MAMO-CHAN! ARIAN! AMI! VENUS! SOMEBODY!" Without warning a warmth exploded inside of her and she vanished from the face of the Earth.

-----

She was in her room. A deep moan tumbled out of her throat. Her heart was still racing and her body was starting to ache terribly from the long sprint she had just put it through. Why her room?

"Hello?" said a feminine voice from the balcony.

Serenity's head shot up. 'Of course. The last name that I called was Venus. I was sent to her and she is tending to my room…' Her hands came up to grip her head tightly. 'What luck is mine! All of that trouble and I end up back on the Moon anyway!'

Light footsteps started to approach. "Is there someone here?"

She was on her knees. She didn't remember falling down upon them, but she passed it off as having too much on her mind to worry about bodily functions. 'What to do now…'

"Princess!"

Suddenly, the Moon Princess shot up from her position on the floor, surprising the senshi that now stood before her. Her hands harshly clutched Venus's shoulders and her eyes went wild. "NO!" she yelled. Her lungs heaved as she took a deep breath. Her mouth opened again started to cry out, "MAMO-CHAN!" The loud call was cut off almost before it had started for Serenity suddenly seemed to glow and in the next instant she had vanished from Venus's sight.

"Sere!!" the senshi called out frantically. Her arms reached out not comprehending what had just happened. "Wha..what…princess!" What should she do? Should she tell someone? Her liege hadn't looked in the best shape, torn clothes and reddened arms and mad eyes.

Then there was an earsplitting noise that emanated from the throne room. Venus could have sworn that it sounded like…

"SERENITY!"

-----

A few minutes later…

Endymion knelt down and carefully rubbed his fingers over the soft, red rose petals before him. He let a serene smile grace his face, temporarily forgetting the deep anguish that lived in his heart. A soft breeze brushed past him ruffling his bangs slightly. Abruptly, the wind picked up and began to swirl around him in a frantic fashion.

"I will be."

Endymion stood up quickly and turned around.

There she stood.

He couldn't believe his eyes! 'Could it…could it really be..her?'

The vision before him let out a relieved sigh. She took a stumbling step forward. "I will be happy, M-Mamo-chan…with you!" The desperation in her face started to slip off into a faint smile. Her heart kept its intense beat, possibly even increasing at the sight of him. "Mamo-chan!" The tears in her eyes spilled over her cheeks and she threw herself at the prince before her.

Endymion grasped the girl with all of his strength. He buried his hands in the hair that tumbled down her back and nuzzled his head against her neck. "Usako," he breathed out.

Soon enough, the princess's body started to shake and go limp all at the same time. The stress of a few minutes before was catching up to her. Endymion had to clutch her in a firmer grip to keep her upright. "What happened? Usako!" he shouted more urgently when Serenity's head lulled to his shoulder.

"Oh, thank the gods that I made it to you. I needed to see you so much, my love," Serenity whispered, oblivious to her prince's concerns. "So very much." While wrapping her arms more securely around his neck, she pressed herself closer to the man in her arms.

"Please, Usako, tell me what has happened!" He carefully pulled away a bit to look into Serenity's face and used a calloused finger to smear a trickle of blood from a cut under her eye. He leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "My dearest…how did you manage to get here?"

Serenity opened the eyes once closed in bliss and stared up at her lover. A wildness came back to the blue depths. "I-I wanted to! It was easy to get past the guards, almost all of them were protecting the throne room and then I was in the transporter room. But, but your guards were roaming and they blocked my path to you and so I had to take a different route which led me outside where I've never been before and…and then the monsters. The monsters!" Her hysterically wandering eyes shot up to Endymion's for a moment. "There were too many, Mamo-chan. I would have fought, but there were too many so I ran from the first and they were just a few feet from me for so long. So long! And then the one caught me and I could barely get away. I was so scared that I started calling out for anyone I could think of that might help and…and…and I was foolish and said your name first and Minara's last and because of it I ended up in my room with Venus instead of here in the gardens with you! I needed you, Mamo-chan! I needed you!" She reached out a hand and traced his jaw line. Her hand wavered as a shiver went up her spine. "Something knew that…something inside of me was so mad that it had gone to the wrong place and it happened again. Again! And then I was here! Here with you!"

The prince took no time in removing one arm from around the girl and securely fixing it onto the side of her neck underneath her jaw. He would have tried to move both of his arms, but feared that Serenity would fall without his support. With his new leverage, he forcefully stopped her head from turning every which way so that he could try to grab her attention. "Usako! Look at me, Usako." Her eyelids started to fall instead. He shook her a bit and then her eyes looked everywhere but at him. "Serenity!" The formal call immediately stopped all of her movements. Using the patience of a parent, he continued with emphasis on every word, "You have to calm down, all right? I need you to calm down for me. No one is after you anymore," he breathed. "You are safe."

His tenderness returning, Endymion pressed a chaste kiss to her cheek and whispered once more, "You are safe now."

"Yes, safe now," the blonde purred in a less than sober voice. Her head turned to lie within the crook of Endymion's neck. Just as the haziness around her eyes began to seep away, so too did the insanity slip from her mind.

"Are you injured?" he asked while calming her pulse with a stroking of his fingers.

If her heart had not yet quieted, her voice certainly had. "Just scratches from the tree branches."

There was a moment of silence. Time enough for Endymion to fully realize that the woman he had minutes before been mourning was now molded against him.

"I love you," came an abrupt and drugged sigh.

A frown creased the lord's brow for the first thing that went through his head after his angel's confession was thoughts of the wedding. "I need to know what happened at the wedding. Does your mother know of your flight?" his commands came with a touch of steel.

"No one…Venus knows," Serenity corrected amidst mumbles. "I slipped out after incapacitating my attendants and guards. Then there was all that nonsense I was rambling on about before. Venus saw me vanish before her very eyes so I am sure that she at least has a good idea of where I went."

He hated to be insistent, but he had to be if only this once. "The wedding, Usako. I need to know what happened at the wedding."

The response was quiet, but well heard. "There was no wedding." Endymion's heart swelled. "I made it to the transporters mere minutes before I was to be escorted down the aisle."

"What of the queen? What will she do once she learns of your departure?"

He expected a heavy sigh, but instead felt a nuzzle against his neck. "She will send the universe after me."

"And if you return?"

That's when he heard his sigh. "It will take all of her strength not to kill me in front of the entire court." A shudder went up Serenity's spine. "She will never kill me. Harm me and humiliate me, yes, but never kill."

-----

He thought he had seen her angry. He thought he had seen the worst temper tantrum that her prim, little body could generate. But the explosion that had just come from her had sent a violent shiver down even the sturdiest guard in the room. He, himself, wasn't sure if he should have been elated or worried when the ivory doors to the main hall opened and no one stood behind them. The shrill screech to his left quickly reminded him that he should be worried, very worried.

"SERENITY!" The call was loud enough to echo throughout every major hallway in the vicinity. As if the last scream had vented all of her frustrations, the queen fell back in her throne. She motioned for her legion of guards as well as the Sailor Senshi to approach her. They all did cautiously and were sure to drop into a low bow once at her feet.

Though she appeared calm, her voice held venom and there was a bright fire still burning in her eyes. "Find her. I do not care what methods you use and do not care what condition she is in when she is brought to me, but she will be brought to me. No one may sleep until I see the whites of her eyes. Any men on vacation will be brought back to the palace immediately to help in the search. I want everyone on it. Now." The last word was meant as a dismissal and everyone was speedy in fleeing the throne room after it was spoken.

Any guests or nobles still braving the room followed the guards out the door. Within a few minutes the only one left in the vast, ornate room with the steaming queen was Prince Arian.

She turned to him slowly. Her eyes were dulled in defeat. They swam with apology when they looked upon him. Arian nearly stumbled off of his feet for he had never seen the great Queen Serenity quite so vulnerable before. "I am sorry to say that your wedding will have to wait for another day. I send you my extreme sympathies that my daughter is so without honor."

As the young prince walked away, he had an inkling of a feeling to pity the queen. Serenity was a lot to handle and maybe that was what ate away at the queen's moral sense. The auburn-eyed man shook his head. No. Serenity would not have been a lot to handle had it not been for the queen's intense desire to mold her and use her. Plus, the thought hadn't even crossed her mind to tell Arian that she would understand if he wanted to break the engagement seeing as how his bride had fled the altar.

He walked on.

-----

Her blood cooled slowly. Being in his presence was always enough to bring her back to the calm envelopment of sanity. A touch of starch filled her legs again, as well. She wasn't quite the dead weight that she had been moments before.

Endymion kissed her fingers and smoothed a fingertip over her knuckles. His breath played with the soft hairs behind her ear when he leaned forward. Cheeks rubbed as he dipped his lips to the junction of her neck and shoulder. In turn, her slim fingers slid down one arm until they reached his inner elbow where the blood rushed heatedly. Their minds meshed in a slow dance, thoughts forming as one and emotions blending until they were almost indistinguishable.

His nose brushed hers in a tender caress and then his head lowered to gently capture her lips. The kiss was slow and sweet with an undertone of deep passion. Endymion was about to deepen the intimate connection when a loud voice startled him.

"Prince?!"

Serenity immediately took a step back as Endymion whirled around to meet none other than… "Jadeite!" The conversation stopped there as another voice tore through the night.

"Intruder! Intruder!" An armed guard was running toward the prince with other guards quickly joining him from all sides of the garden. Endymion's head shot around to each soldier with frightened movements. It took him a while, but his voice finally came back to him.

"No! No, she is not an intruder! Stop!" The guards did not seem to hear his call and continued towards Serenity. Endymion splayed out his arms in front of her, backing her against a palace wall in an effort to protect her. "No! Stop! She is not going to harm me! STOP!" Some guards finally took note of the prince's words and began to slow their pace, but the others continued their advance. "I said STOP! PLEASE! **DO NOT HURT HER!!**"

Serenity's breath caught in her throat as one of the guards came up next to her. The man raised his heavy sword above his head. That's when Endymion realized what was happening. The frightened prince screamed out and the garden suddenly blazed with power. The guard with the sword was temporarily blinded and he stepped back, completely stunned. All of the other guards also stopped their advance as Endymion burst with power. A transparent blue shield formed itself around the prince and princess. The defensive barrier clashed with the soldier's raised sword and the weapon bounced back and out of his hands.

The men were too shocked to do much other than quickly lift their jaws from the floor and flee the garden as fast as they could. Once the last of the soldiers was gone, Endymion relaxed his energy. He heaved an exerted sigh and the blue shield shimmered to nothingness. Jadeite, along with the prince's other three guards who had come after hearing all of the commotion, were the only ones still standing in the area. They were struck speechless to say the least.

Endymion barely had enough energy to stare up at them. That didn't matter, though, because they had plenty of questions to keep them occupied.

"Endy, what was that!?" The longhaired, strawberry-blonde screeched out first.

"I did not think that you knew how to…how to..." Kunzite's sentence fell away.

"How to totally kick some ass!" Jadeite supplied for his leader.

"Yes, I was also not aware that your powers had increased so drastically. Or even that you were able to access such large power sources and remain standing," the brown-haired general concluded.

Endymion's mouth barely seemed to function. "I...I…" He, himself, was speechless. He didn't know how that had happened.

"Are you-"

Kunzite was quietly interrupted by the sweet and broken whisper of, "Mamo-chan…" All of the generals finally turned their attention to the woman pressed up against the wall. Their eyebrows rose at bit at the name that she had called out. Who was she referring to? Who was this 'Mamo-chan'? Unless…

Endymion's body immediately kicked back into gear. His eyes widened and his hunched shoulders straightened as he whirled himself around. His black cape slowly swayed to a stop as the prince halted his twirl to stare at the woman before him. Without a second thought to his friends, Endymion's eyes softened and he stepped directly in front of his princess.

The angel just stared up at him with shivering eyes. Her hands were practically imbedded in the wall behind her because she was pressing herself back so harshly. The first words out of her mouth were, "I am so sorry, Mamo-chan. I did not mean to startle everyone."

Endymion shook his head. "Do not worry about it, dearest. No harm was done." He reached out a hand to her face and caressed her cheek with his thumb. The pad of his finger made a soothing circular motion and soon the princess no longer had tears in her eyes. Gently moving his hand to her chin, Endymion lifted her face up and placed a soft kiss on her lips. He then wrapped his arms around her waist and held her closely. "It is okay. It is all over, now. You are safe, my love. I would never let any harm come to you."

Serenity whimpered as she tightly grasped his shoulders. She then let out a sob as she buried her face in the crook of Endymion's neck. Too many surprises had fallen upon her that day. She just couldn't take any more. Her lover responded by rubbing one hand soothingly up and down her back as the other hand cradled her head close to him. "Shhh, Usako. Shhhh…"

The generals were once again struck completely speechless. This time it was not by a brilliant display of power, though, it was by the compassion and love that their liege was exhibiting towards this golden-haired princess…this 'Usako'. Kunzite glanced at his comrades to see if he could read their reactions. Shock. Confusion. Suspicion. Nothing he wouldn't have guessed. He carefully slipped out of their sight so that they would not question his lack of surprise. He was slightly surprised, though. Wasn't someone supposed to be getting married? A smile slipped onto his face.

"Endy…?" After a few moments, Jadeite reached out a hand to his prince as he stepped towards him.

Endymion sighed to himself. 'I will have to explain myself sooner or later.' He reluctantly and carefully pulled away from Serenity so that he could turn himself around and regard his comrades. However, he made sure to latch onto one of Serenity's hands with his own in order to keep his (and her) bearings. "Yes, Jadeite?" He glanced back at his beloved when he heard some sniffles, but noticed only that she had completely collected herself again and was brushing away the last of her tears.

"Endymion, what is going on? Who is this girl? And why did it seem like you could have blown up the entire palace just a minute ago?" All wisecracking aside, Jadeite's voice was etched with serious trepidation.

The rest of his guard seemed equally confused and concerned. Endymion brought a hand up to his face, resting it there for a second before slipping the appendage through his hair. "I am sorry. I meant to tell you about all of this long ago, but…"

"But what, prince?! You nearly scared me half to death with those fireworks that you were spewing earlier!" Zoicite clenched his fist quickly to stop his outburst.

"Well if you would let me finish what I was saying then everything would make a lot more sense!"

Nephrite, noticing his prince's increasing distress, spoke up. "We are sorry, Endymion. You must understand, though, that of all the things for us to expect this was on the bottom of our list." The stargazer's calm tone helped to sooth everyone and soon the tension in the air had nearly vanished.

"I am aware of that," was Endymion's reply. He paused and gave Serenity's hand a squeeze before he continued. "I really did mean to tell you earlier, however…certain things…came up. This situation is even more complicated than it should be and that has only increased the amount of caution that we take when…when meeting each other."

Zoicite raised a critical eyebrow, "Just how long has this been going on?"

Not being able to hold his friend's gaze, the prince dropped his eyes to look at the ground.

"Four months," was the solemn reply.

End Chapter 10

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Please send ANY comments to me, Sereko. My e-mail is: 


	12. Chapter 11

Affair by Sereko

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters associated with the story (except for Prince Arian). I merely use Naoko Takeuchi's genius as a starting point for my own storytelling.

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Chapter 11

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"WHAT? You have been sneaking around behind our backs for FOUR MONTHS!?"

Endymion cut Jadeite off quickly, "No! It is not like that! We have not been sneaking around-"

"What else would you call this?" Nephrite interrupted. The general had to refrain from shrinking back at the glare that his liege turned his way. He continued, leaving his quivering knees behind, "I expected you to at least have the decency to tell your trusted friends about this scandalous affair that you have been having!"

"THAT IS ENOUGH!" The scream echoed throughout the royal gardens. "I will not be reprimanded like a child! You know nothing of the situation and yet you are already accusing me of wrongdoing!"

Sensing the bad turn that all of this could easily take, Kunzite finally stepped in. "Please calm down, my prince. They are just worried about you. That is all. Though they could express their worry in a better way," he paused to glare at the two in question, "they do still bring up a valid point. Why have you kept such actions hidden from us? What has caused you to be secretive about this young woman?" The general's eyes glinted while he feigned ignorance. He did not think it a good time to inform the other men that he had known all along of the situation and that he, himself, was in a similar one. Gratefully, the prince seemed to decipher his thoughts and was able to join in the game of pretend.

"Something that I cannot tell you," was his response.

"WHA-" Kunzite flicked his wrist in Jadeite's direction to stop the blonde's cry.

"Why not, my liege?" Kunzite said instead.

There was a sigh. No, there were two sighs, consecutively. Nephrite craned his neck to see that Serenity had as much a defeated expression on her face as Endymion did. "What is it?" The two did not respond immediately. "Please, tell us."

"We cannot tell you for fear that when we do we will never see each other again. We could be imprisoned, maybe even executed, for our actions."

The generals took a step back. Zoicite spoke up, "It cannot possibly be that severe." The look in his prince's eyes told him otherwise. He quickly tried to change the subject. "Well, can we at least be enlightened as to what your name is, milady? Or is it Usako?"

Serenity would have fallen on the floor laughing had the situation not been so grave. As is, she managed the best bow she could while still clasping Endymion's hand. "My name, dear gentlemen, is…part of the problem." The men fell into a confused and disgruntled silence.

Zoicite tried again, "So it is not Usako?"

The princess held in her mirth once more and merely said, "No it is not."

"Well, since we have nothing else to address you as, may we use Usako anyway?"

Serenity turned her attention to Jadeite. Then she shot a quick glance over to Endymion who didn't seem too thrilled at the idea. She unconsciously moved closer to him in reassurance. "I think it best if you refer to me as Usagi for now."

'Well, better than nothing.' Jadeite thought. 'But, why would her name be a problem? It just does not make any…oh, wait…' He took a cautious step towards the couple. "Who exactly are you?" That struck a cord. Immediately, Jadeite and the others could see the two flinch. They also noticed, for the first time, that their prince was clasping the mystery woman's hand as if his life depended on it. His grip only increased after Jadeite asked the simple question.

"Why do you ask?" Serenity cautiously replied.

"Well, when you said that your name was part of the problem that you were facing, I was confused. It did not make sense that someone's name could be of any problem in any way. However, it was then that I realized that it is not your name that is the problem but the person behind the name. And so I ask again, who are you?"

"She cannot say." Jadeite immediately turned his attention to Endymion. The protective tone in his voice was not completely lost on the group.

"If she cannot tell us who she is, then that only means that she is someone whom you should not be with. Otherwise, neither of you would have any hesitation in answering our simple questions."

Zoicite finished what Nephrite had started to say. "And if you are not supposed to be with her then why have we found you two together in the middle of the gardens late at night?"

"Because I love her and no matter who she is I will continue to love her!" The men's eyes widened at this blunt proclamation. Serenity let go of Endymion's hand after his having said this, only to slip her arms around his waist instead. The Earth Prince responded in kind, gathering her up against his side. Utterly blown away, the three generals could do nothing more than gawk. Kunzite smiled slyly in the shadows.

Their jaws quickly snapped shut when a familiar scream was heard coming from the palace gates. "Intruder! Intruder!"

A rustle sounded to their left, then their right. Before they knew what was happening there were thirty men surrounding them from all sides.

Kunzite, Jadeite, Nephrite and Zoicite immediately fell into general mode. First, Nephrite called the attention of the guards who had come into the clearing after sounding their warning. Then, the three others joined their leader in the middle of the clearing and flanked him on each side.

Endymion barely had to give a nod before Kunzite spouted out his analysis. "They outnumber us three to one. That would be bad enough, but I am not sure if Usagi or our guards will be able to take them on with those odds."

"Do not worry about Usagi, she can take care of herself. Stay close to our guards, though. They do not have the training to fight three people at once. They may need some help. Now, let us get into a circle, facing out. Whatever you do, do not lose sight of the bushes in front of you. We cannot be sure how many more men are lurking back there." Zoicite left to relay the orders to Nephrite the moment that Endymion stopped giving them. The men then assembled into a circle with Kunzite and Usagi taking up each of the prince's sides.

All of this strategy and formation happened in mere seconds. The intruders were just as stunned by their victims' efficiency as their victims had been of the intruders' own timely approach.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Endymion belted out before the black-clad men could move an inch.

There was snickering off to the side before a voice cut through the darkness, "I am but a humble thief, come to collect the biggest prize of them all…the Crown Prince of Earth." Without any warning, the body of the one who just spoke shot out of the shrubbery and started a sword fight with Endymion.

Zoicite quickly unleashed his own sword when the rest of the thugs began to advance. "And here I thought we were going to be in for a dose of originality. But no…" he paused in order to parry a blow directed at him, "...the same old 'kidnap the prince' trick is all that they could come up with. How unbelievably dull."

The brawl fell into full swing after that. The palace guards had their hands full, forcing Jadeite and Zoicite to add one more thug each to their already full plates. Jadeite was mostly being defensive since he had to deal with four men at once, but when one of the men punched him after their swords locked he threw himself fully into the offensive fray. "Now you are going to get it!" He jumped forward, shocking one man while slashing another with his sword. The two fell to the ground, but he knew it wouldn't be for long. Sure enough, both men almost immediately righted themselves. "Endymion! I will not be able to keep this up for very long!!"

---

Serenity heard Jadeite's call and cringed. She knew it wouldn't take long for the intruders to overpower them all. However, until then she was going to have a little fun. She halted her next round house kick and stepped back to put some room in between herself and her three opponents. Her torn dress flopped around her. It allowed for maneuverability, but she still fervently wished for a Lunarian fighting fuku.

After bowing, a sly grin graced her face that succeeded in thoroughly confusing the thugs. Serenity then put her palms together and lay them perpendicularly in front of her. As she slowly drew one palm away from the other, a slim beam of bright golden light appeared. "May I introduce you to…" Her palms stopped moving and the light immediately burst. A sword of unbelievable beauty was left in her hands. An inch wide blade of shining silver that had intricate carvings on it connected to a base of artistically, yet practically designed gold. "…Excalibur."

The men in black were utterly perplexed by the magic that had just been displayed before them, but they didn't waste much time in taking on the woman, even with her sword. A tough fight ensued.

---

The prince was in the middle of a fierce battle himself. He was viciously fighting the leader of the pack while also shrugging off two other men. "Why do you not simply give up this pointless ambush?!"

The leader scoffed back. "Give up? Pointless? Unless you are blind, Prince, you must have noticed that I have the upper hand here!" He swiped his sword to the left then quickly to the right, a move that would have caught a normal fighter off guard. The prince was not so gullible. He immediately blocked the move and advanced forward. "I must say, however, that you are quite the worthy opponent!"

Endymion growled through his teeth. He knew this could not last for long. Where were the rest of the palace guards? Had they been held up in another battle?

Taking a moment to kick one of the troublesome thugs that was on his back, he glanced around to the rest of the battle. Only a few minor scraps and bruises had managed to mar his guardians. They were doing well, but eventually they would run out of stamina. He had to think of something else, something to move the favor over to his side. That's when he noticed Serenity. Sweat was slipping down her forehead in steady streams. She had a determined look to her face as she took advantage of another weak spot in her enemy. Excalibur gleamed in the moonlight causing Endymion to smile. 'She does so love that sword.'

Serenity chose that moment to stare up in his direction. Their eyes locked together and something passed between them. In the mere second there was before the leader of the opposition struck out at Endymion and Serenity's own enemies executed their next move, both of them had silently determined what had to be done. They couldn't quite understand it themselves, but realized it must have been a side effect of their bond.

Quickly disposing of their adversaries, the two drew together. The head of the intruders was well trained, though, and pulled himself together fast enough to catch Endymion before he had fully walked away. Serenity watched as he lunged at the prince and screamed out a warning to her beloved. Unfortunately, while she was occupied with that, she failed to notice one of her own discarded enemies coming up behind her. Her internal sensors only warned her enough so that she was able to twist around before the man had pulled out his knife to stab her. Instead of catching her right in the back, he gouged her side. Her scream died in her throat from the surprise. The thug didn't have much time to gloat, however, because Serenity was quick to use Excalibur to render him inoperable.

Endymion, in the meantime, was able to throw his main foe far enough away from him that he could continue the trek to his one and only. What he saw when he turned back in her direction only made him move faster. He grasped Serenity's hand when he finally reached her and, without further delay, an intense heat passed between their entwined fingers. The build up of power increased until it was too big to contain and then it exploded into a large sonic boom. The ripple of gold and silver expanded in a circle throughout the entire garden until it finally faded into nothingness.

Nothing happened at first. Then, slowly but surely, all of the intruders began to fall to the ground. As Serenity and Endymion had intended, the raw energy had passed harmlessly through everyone in the area except for those men.

The two who had initiated the blast immediately fell to their knees, panting heavily.

Kunzite quickly told the amazed palace guards to put the unconscious men in cells. At once they left to find more guards to help them with the task. With them out of the picture, the prince's personal guard rushed over to the two lovers. Serenity had collapsed on the ground because of her stab wound and Endymion had lifted her upper body so that it was close to his own.

Zoicite dropped to one knee beside the young woman in order to examine her. "What happened? What hurts?" He didn't have to try hard to ignore all of the reasons why he should just shove this woman out the gate and send her on her way. If his prince would mourn the loss of her presence, as Zoicite knew he would, he could momentarily forget all of the voices in his head that were telling him how many rules the two lovers had broken by being together.

She groggily turned her head from Endymion's chest to stare at the medic. "M-My side. One of those men stabbed me when I was not paying atten-ention."

"I knew it." Nephrite had meant for no one to hear the scoffing whisper, but his prince had. He was now receiving a very hard glare.

"She was busy warning me of a man about to attack me from behind. It was not her fault that she was caught off guard." He looked down at the angel in his arms after he saw Nephrite nod in guilt. "It was my fault."

Serenity immediately turned her attention away from Zoicite. She raised a shaking hand to grasp Endymion's arm tightly. "N-No!" She lifted herself up a bit so that she had a better angle with which to stare into her love's eyes. Right away, her side protested at the movement and she gave out a hiss in pain. She locked her eyes in an intense gaze with the familiar midnight blue orbs. "It was NOT your fault!" Endymion was about to argue when she touched his lips. The look in her eyes softened considerably and she dropped her head to rest in the crook of his neck. "No arguments, please."

The guardians smiled in sympathy as their liege tightened his hold on the blonde and rested his head on top of her own. "I cannot believe this happened. Of all nights, it had to be when you were here. I am so sorry, Usako." Serenity responded by nuzzling her head against his neck.

Zoicite moved the hole in the young woman's dress further to one side so that he could see the inner edge of her cut. His gentle touches sent a tingle up Serenity's spine. Reluctant to break up the moment between the lady and his prince, Zoicite quietly spoke, "This wound is quite deep. We are going to need to take her to a healer so that he can stitch it."

Endymion's emotions clashed at Zoicite's news. He tightly shut his eyes. "We cannot. No one is even supposed to know that she is here."

"But, prince! She might die if she loses much more blood!" Jadeite's outburst was followed by a cough and moan from the woman in question. "See!"

"Endymion is r-right, I cannot."

The generals stared at Serenity in disbelief. "Zoicite, you are an apprentice healer. Can you do nothing?" Endymion knew he was grasping at straws. He wanted more than anything to rush Serenity into the palace and yell out for the best healer there…but…

The curly-haired man shook his head. "Not without the proper supplies."

"I have the power to heal." The blonde weakly supplied.

The prince shook his head sadly. "But you cannot heal yourself, Usako, only others." He was just about to stand up with his dearest in tow and ignore the consequences that her presence on Earth might bring when Nephrite came to his rescue.

His curiosity had been peaked. Mystical powers were his specialty. "Can you transfer your power?"

"I have only don-done it once, but it is possible." Serenity let out another hiss. The stab wound wasn't that big, only about two inches long, but it was deep and it hurt a lot.

"And it also drained you considerably." Endymion's statement dashed the hope that was flowing through the others. "There is no point. To transfer your power would mean to diminish your energy to the breaking point. Then, to use that power to heal yourself from what was just inflicted…that does not make any sense. It is an oxymoron."

"It does not matter. I would not be able to-able to heal the others' wounds in my current condition anyway. Nephrite can do th-that. He can heal me and can heal the others. Then everything will be settled."

There was a deep sigh. "Usako, no. Nephrite would be able to heal your stab wound, but not your loss of energy." He paused. "It would simply drain you much too much."

Serenity lifted her head up a bit so that she could look her prince in the eye. "Not if you are here." He didn't miss the hope that flittered through her eyes, nor the fact that her shivering momentarily stopped as she said her statement. His heart melted. "Our connection, Mamo-chan. It is strong. It can take the burden." Endymion merely smiled. "It will hurt a bit, but not too much." She closed her eyes as he leaned down to give her a peck on the forehead.

"You are right. Our bond is perfect. It will make it so that you will not have to drain yourself completely, you can drain part of my power instead." He squeezed her shoulders. "Let us start, then."

Jadeite and the others were a little lost during the conversation that just took place, but they knew an approval when they saw one. "What do you need me to do?" It was Nephrite who asked the question and it was Nephrite who received Serenity's attention.

She saw a flight of nervousness in the man's eyes and so gave him a soft smile. "Just h-hold my hand." Once he had complied, she continued. "This will not hurt. I promise." She tightened her hold around Endymion's waist and he, in turn, tightened his hold on her shoulders. ['We have already drained ourselves considerably with that last energy blast...let us hope that this will not put us over the edge.'] Originally, the mental message was only meant to be received by the prince, but in her weakened state Serenity lost control and the message was also attained by his four guardians.

Nephrite immediately tried to pull his hand away in fear for his liege's life, but the princess's grip was tight. Kunzite had screamed out and swooped down to separate all of the involved parties, but he was too late.

Two pained gasps came from the lovers.

The first was from Serenity. Her wound immediately began to spout more blood, completely soaking through the cloth that Zoicite had put on it.

The second was from Endymion. It was like someone had reached down his throat and had forcefully taken out the air that was once in his lungs.

The transfer process began directly after that. A deep silver light could be seen trailing from Serenity to the brown-haired general. Warmth spread through the man's body when the stream entered through his chest. The feeling was indescribable. He temporarily forgot about the possible ill results from this transfer and basked in the pure energy that the princess possessed.

It was over soon enough. Endymion's body slumped to the ground, barely able to stay in a sitting position. Serenity fell limply in his arms. She could hardly keep her eyes open.

"Prince!" Zoicite had managed to prop his friend up before he collapsed onto the ground. "Are you all right?"

Glazed blue eyes stared up at him under heavy lids. "Yes." The affirmation came out rough.

The medic looked over at Nephrite. "Heal Usagi quickly! With her power at such a low level, she will not be able to handle the additional injury!" Nephrite did as told. It took him a few seconds to adjust to the new and raw power coursing through his veins, but once he had he leaned over the gaping tear. His hands burned hot as he let a silver cloud engulf its target. The magic oozed into every pore in the princess's skin and started to piece the flesh back together.

Serenity let out a whimper at the process. Usually her healing power didn't hurt. However, with someone inexperienced at the helm and with the wound so jagged, it caused quite a bit of pain. Endymion barely had enough energy to be able to rest one of his hands upon her cheek to soothe her. He did manage it, though, and she closed her eyes at the tender touch.

Once he finished, Nephrite quickly went over to heal his friends, afraid that the power would flee his body at any moment. They all looked on in amazement as their cuts and scrapes vanished without a trace. One of the larger slices on Kunzite's arm completely disappeared, not even leaving a scar. They could hardly believe it. Nephrite still felt anxious about the amount of time that he would be able to possess such altruistic majesty, so he turned his attention back to Serenity. "How long will this last?"

The haze in her mind led Serenity to initially misinterpret his question. "Forever. Once a wound is healed, it is healed."

"No, no. I mean, how long will I have this power?"

"Oh. The only other time that I have tried this," she stopped in order to take a deep breath. With her energy at such a low level she couldn't even finish a sentence without exhausting herself. "-the person had my abilities for a day or so. It does not last that long." With that, Serenity laid completely down on the ground. Zoicite had let Endymion sink there earlier and the prince held his arms open for her. They were so tired. So very tired…

"Hey!" They didn't budge. Jadeite tried again, "Hey, WAKE UP!" That got their attention. "Usagi, you cannot fall asleep yet. I am sure there is someone from your home who would miss you and wonder where you went off to."

The princess lazily waved a hand in dismissal. "No, yawn I can just tell them that I went for a walk in the forest and…and yawn got lost." Never mind that she would not have been allowed outside while in preparation for her wedding. She leaned into Endymion's shoulder and curled her body so that it was pressed right up against his own.

"NO!" Two sets of eyelids shot open. "Where are you going to sleep?"

Zoicite walked up next to the younger man. "We could just put her in one of the guest rooms. I do not think anyone would check. Well, except for the maids…but we could wake her up and get her out of there before they go on their rounds."

"But the maids start their work even before any of us usually get up. And we get up fairly early in the morning as is." Kunzite paused in his speech to look at the two falling asleep on the ground. "I do not think a few hours of sleep will be enough to rejuvenate either of them."

Thinking Endymion and Serenity to have already drifted off into dreamland, Nephrite whispered, "Then we just place her in one of the rooms next to us. If anyone happens to stumble upon her, then we will be able to figure out what all of this fuss is about. They were probably just overreacting anyway when they said that they could be imprisoned for their actions. She is probably just a common town girl and they were worried because she was not a princess. That is all." Jadeite's face looked skeptical. Usagi? That blonde angel on the ground…a town girl?

"No…" Endymion's drowsy voice filtered through the air. "Not quite…" Nephrite's eyes widened. He was sure that they had fallen asleep. "She is a princess…" The prince's short phrases drifted in and out as if he were just on the edge of unconsciousness. His guardians couldn't tell if he knew what he was saying or if he was so out of it that he was letting things slip. Kunzite's eyes grew frantic when he realized that his liege might accidentally let out the biggest secret in the universe. He took a step forward as if to silence him, but was cut off.

Serenity let out a sleepy giggle. "Yup…I am…" She nuzzled further into her lover's embrace, her eyes shut like his. "I am…

…Princess Serenity…"

With that, they both lost the battle with sleep and turned themselves over into the dream world.

End Chapter 11

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The secret's finally out! What will happen now that the generals have heard the truth from the royal couple's very own lips? Stay tuned!

Please send ANY comments to me, Sereko. My e-mail is: 


	13. Chapter 12

Affair by Sereko

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters associated with the story (except for Prince Arian). I merely use Naoko Takeuchi's genius as a starting point for my own storytelling.

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Chapter 12

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Silence pervaded the area. No one spoke, no one breathed. A late night fog settled on the ground. The cool atmosphere sent a chill up Jadeite's spine. He shivered and then took a cautious glance over at Kunzite. "Did she just say…" His soft whisper drifted away with the breeze.

"…that she is…" Zoicite quietly continued the thought.

"…the Crown Princess of…" It was Nephrite this time. His once powerful, calm voice had disappeared to make room for a wispy lilt. "…our worst enemy's empire?"

A soft gust of wind brushed past them all, lifting and twirling the evening fog in a solemn dance. Kunzite could barely gather enough strength in his throat to respond. What was he supposed to do now?

They all turned their heads to look at their liege and his mistress. Kunzite's long, white hair billowed around him as more wind seeped through the clearing. 'Oh, my prince, why her? Of all the women to give your heart to…why did you have to choose the one that you cannot be with?' He tenderly knelt down and brushed a strand of hair out of the sleeping monarch's face. 'No matter, I will do all that I can to keep you two together…but even my power is limited. I fear you will be torn apart soon enough.' He added sardonically, 'Especially if you keep leaking your secret to everyone.'

He steadily lifted his head to speak to the others. As his eyes roamed over them, he was able to get a grasp on what they were feeling. Nephrite seemed confused, as if he couldn't understand how his prince had found himself in love – much less with their foe. Zoicite's gaze was cool, but his stance gave away the fact that he was in utter disbelief. The fire in Jadeite's eyes was burning as brightly as ever. There was a new gleam in them, though, that showed his happiness for Endymion despite the situation he had tangled himself up in. "Let us take them inside." The three men of whom he had been observing stared at him strangely. "She will sleep in his room." Mouths opened in protest, but he cut them off. "And we will ensure that they are not caught."

---

Kunzite laid Serenity on the bed carefully. Her body was so small, so fragile to the touch. He was surprised when he had first lifted her up because she was as light as a feather. He almost didn't want to move her for fear that she would break in his arms. On the other side of the bed, Jadeite and Nephrite put Endymion down.

"Are you sure that we should put them in bed together? Should we not put one of them on the couch or the ground or something?" Zoicite's concern over the immodesty of the situation was quickly blown over with shock.

All of the generals knew that Endymion and Serenity were sound asleep. Neither had even awakened when they were picked up. The sight before them suggested otherwise.

As if they were awake and conscious of what was going on, the two drew together like moths to a flame. Endymion rolled over to the middle of the bed and reached out with his arm. Serenity immediately responded by shifting from her side of the bed into his hold. Once she had reached him, Endymion wrapped his arms about her tightly. She did the same while resting her head against his shoulder.

Kunzite gave a soft sigh at the sight and then turned to leave the room. Nephrite followed after him. Jadeite stared a bit longer until he finally blinked his eyes, shook his head and walked out the door. Zoicite watched in disbelief as they all departed. With wide eyes and jumbled words he continued to point to the pair. "But…Wait…They just….Hey guys! Come on!" He started to turn and chase after his friends. "Did no one just see that?"

The strawberry blonde's yells faded as he ran further and further from his liege. After a few moments, the entire palace was quiet once more. The generals turned in for the night in their rooms next door and the palace guards resumed their stilted watch over the home of the monarchs.

---

The sun creaked through the curtains in the prince's room. Morning had come and the palace was already bustling with maids and servants. The sunlight and pattering of feet awakened Endymion. He stirred groggily in the blankets that were placed on top of him the night prior. One of his hands reached up and massaged the bridge of his nose. When he opened his eyes, he caught sight of the bright rays of the sun and attempted to lift his other hand in order to shield his sensitive vision from the glare. Something was preventing his hand from responding, however. He turned over to see what the problem was and that's when his mind finally decided to wake up. For, lying beside him and on top of his unresponsive arm was Serenity.

His body tensed.

'Oh lord, what has happened…' Endymion shifted so that he was facing his beloved, but also propped slightly above her. Deep blue eyes searched her face in sorrow. Without even realizing it, he reached up a hand to her face and let it fall to her cheek. Her skin was so soft to the touch that he couldn't help but let out a small sigh. 'So beautiful…' Endymion leaned forward to press a light kiss on Serenity's forehead. As he pulled away, he felt her stir beneath him.

After she arched her back in a stretch, Serenity groggily opened her eyes. She almost thought that the vision before her was a dream because of the way the light was shining upon her lover's face. However, when she felt his very real skin pressed up against her cheek she knew otherwise. "Mamo-chan!" Startled at his presence, her eyes flew open and she attempted to sit up. Endymion just gave her a sad smile and lightly pressed her back onto the bed.

"Shh, my love. Shhhhh…"

Serenity was only more confused by this. "Mamo-chan, what are we doing in bed together?"

"It seems that after we passed out last night my guards placed us here."

"But-"

"Shh, Usako. Please." His eyes glinted as he pleaded. "I fear that peaceful mornings such as these will not be with us much longer. Let us enjoy them while we can."

"But-"

"_Please_, Usako," he whispered insistently.

Serenity looked up at him sympathetically. "Of course, Mamo-chan." She craned her head up in order to give him a short, but lingering kiss and then let her body soak back into the mattress underneath her. A calm silence settled between them and it led Endymion to resume his place lying next to Serenity.

After a few moments of contemplation, Serenity breathed out, "So they know."

Endymion heaved a sigh. "They know everything."

Serenity couldn't prevent herself from squeezing her eyes shut in pain. "It all happened so fast." She faced Endymion and grasped at his shirt. "I-I want more time. Just a little bit more time with you…" Her grip loosened and her body slumped in sorrow. Closing her eyes, she continued, "Whom am I fooling? I do not just want a few more moments with you." She lifted her head to look into his eyes. "I want an eternity. I never want to have to let you go."

Before she could say another word, Endymion descended upon her and captured her lips in a passionate kiss. He was forceful and demanding, plucking her lips for all that they were worth. It was as if he had never kissed her before and was now trying to physically express to her all of the emotions that she stirred up in him. Serenity simply melted beneath him as she kissed him back with equal fervor. Her hands tangled themselves in his silky hair while his were busy massaging the nape of her neck. Groans simultaneously emanated from the backs of their throats.

The kiss ended, as it had begun, with a swirl of lust and love and passion. When Endymion managed to pry himself away from Serenity, he held both sides of her face and looked intensely into her eyes. "You will never have to let me go. Never. Just as I will never have to let you slip from my own fingers." He saw the protest in her eyes and cut her off before she could even try to challenge the validity of his statement, "I do not care what our parents will do or our guardians or the entire universe! Even if they say that we are to be locked in our rooms forever, never to see each other again, I will find a way to you!"

"Mamo-chan…"

"I love you. I love you so very much, Usako, and no one can take that away or tell me to stop." He leaned down and gave her a small peck. "I will always love you."

With misty eyes, Serenity smiled sadly up at him. "And I you, my dearest prince." She paused for a moment to watch the way his eyes sparkled when the sunlight hit them just right. Deep inside, some part of her knew that she would have few more precious moments like these to make such observations. "I never thought that I could love someone the way that I love you. But, despite that, it will only be a matter of time before everyone finds out about us. Then, we will be torn apart no matter how much we wish to stay together."

"How, exactly, is everyone going to find out?"

"Oh, Mamo-chan." She covered her face with her hands. "Your guardians will tell your parents and then they will tell my mother and the senshi will find out. I-I will never be allowed to see you again!"

"Usako." He paused while staring deeply into her eyes. "My guardians are my closest friends. I trust them like brothers." Another meaningful pause ensued. "They will not tell my parents."

"Of course not!" Startled, Endymion and Serenity spun around to see Jadeite at the bedroom door. "At least not until we know _all_ of the juicy details!"

"Jadeite!"

Noticing that his liege was a little less than pleased with him barging in, Jadeite blushed and gave a sheepish bow. "I am sorry, prince. Excuse me as well, my lady." He straightened himself and walked towards a chair on the side of the room. "I just came to drop this off." Looking at the parcel in his hands, the prince and princess could see that he had brought with him a dress. "I managed to scrounge it up and thought that the princess might like a change of clothes." He bowed once more. "Again, I am sorry to have intruded. I will return with the other generals when you two have finished waking up." Endymion was suspicious of Jadeite's extremely formal behavior, but was relieved to see the blonde turn and give him a wink before he exited the bedroom.

---

Jadeite carefully shut the door behind him. He let a small smile grace his face as he thought back to what he had just witnessed. The fiery general had come to the prince's room at the beginning of the dark haired man's conversation with the lady, but had stayed outside to give the two the time they needed to console one another. Jadeite smiled again. The happiness he felt for his prince was practically exploding from within him. He and the other generals had always hoped that one day Endymion would find his perfect someone…and now he had. He had met a wonderful young woman who possessed spirit and tranquility at the same time.

Unfortunately, despite their seemingly perfect match, a dark cloud hung over the couple. The blonde only hoped that the two would be able to find a way to break through the barriers that stood between them. With a sigh, he pushed away from his liege's door and went to fetch the other generals. 'Enough of this thinking, it is time for some action. Endy will not give Princess Serenity up without a fight…and there is nothing that will prevent me from fighting right alongside him.'

---

It was simple, light and a pale blue color. Endymion had reluctantly risen from his bed after Jadeite's departure and had walked over to examine the dress his friend had brought with him. The garment was perfect for the temperate, spring weather that the Earth was experiencing. "If you would like, you can use the bathroom to freshen up and change." There was no reply. "Usako?" The prince said as he turned to face the bed.

There lay an angel born from the heavens. She had completely re-submerged herself in his bed sheets with her hair surrounding her in a waterfall of gold. Endymion chuckled. "Usako," he said as he drew out her name in a playful manner.

With a smirk on his face the prince carefully approached the bed. Once at the foot, he lightly let one of his hands trace Serenity's legs through the sheets. The feathery touches continued along the length of her body as he walked to the headboard. "Darling, you must get up. I know that you do not want to look disheveled when my generals arrive."

She peeked her head out from under the covers. "Wrong. I do not mind in the least." He raised an eyebrow. "The only thing that I am concerned about right now is…" Endymion was not left to wonder what she was going to say, since she had promptly grabbed his head and brought it down to her own.

"Come now." The prince managed to reprimand when he pulled away.

He was quickly brought down for another tantalizing kiss.

"Why do not we just forget about your guards and lay in bed all day?"

Endymion could feel her smile through their kiss. "No," he stubbornly groaned out. Despite his protest, however, he realized that he had somehow ended up on the bed and on top of Serenity. He leaned further forward for a moment of intensity and then pulled away. "You have to get out of bed."

"And why, per say, is that?"

"Because…"

Serenity giggled seductively at his loss of explanation. "Exactly my point."

As he was being thoroughly teased – both mentally and physically – by his beloved, a plan came to him. 'Just devious enough that it might work,' he thought to himself. With a smile, Endymion intensified his current kiss with the blonde. He slowly began to lift away after bringing her to the brink of a moan. As he had expected, she followed him. He administered another deep and desperate kiss and again slowly pulled away. As Serenity followed him, her upper body slowly started to rise from the mattress. 'Just one more, I think.' The dark haired man, who had his arms supporting the lady's back so that she would not fall from her semi-upright position, delved down deeper into the inviting mouth beneath him. His retreat was much slower this time and his princess chased after him without resolve. It wasn't long before Endymion parted from his sweet with a big smile upon his face.

Breathless, Serenity merely stared at him. "Wh-Why did you stop?"

"Because, my dear, now I am able to carry you out of bed." He motioned to her position and she looked confusedly down at herself. Low and behold, she had managed to chase Endymion's kisses all the way up into a sitting position. "It was too hard to forcefully lift you out of bed when you were lying down, but now you have already gone half way for me!"

The princess nearly punched the smile off of the face of the man before her. "You are the devil."

"Now, now. No name calling, dearest." The triumphant smile stayed as he swooped her up into his arms with one swift move. "I had to get you out of that bed somehow, did I not?"

His answer was a glare.

He laughed. "I am sorry, but we must make ourselves at least somewhat presentable for when my generals come." He kissed her pout. "We can have fun later."

An evil gleam shone in Serenity's eyes. "Promise?"

"I promise."

---

After a cursory knock, Kunzite spoke through the doors before him, "Prince, may we come in?" He received an affirmative answer and then opened the bedroom doors so that he and his fellow generals could enter. What they saw when they came in made all of their hearts ache. Serenity was sitting amongst a group of chairs on the side of the room. Endymion was standing behind her with a hand on her shoulder that she clutched within her own. The men filed into the available seats.

An uncomfortable silence ensued.

"Goodness, are you always this somber?" Serenity broke in.

Laughs drifted through the room. "Only when we do not know what to say," Zoicite answered her. "I suppose it would be logical to begin with introductions." The princess smiled and nodded her head. With her encouragement, he listed the names of the guardians at his side.

There was a pause when Jadeite's name was mentioned. The princess sprang up in her seat and pointed a finger at him while shouting, "I know you!"

The man in question jumped back a bit in his chair. "You do?"

She smiled slyly with a quirk on her lips, "You interrupted at least two of my meetings with Endymion."

Jadeite looked confused. He stared up at his prince for an answer. "She read your telepathic messages. The first time you disrupted us was actually the first time that we met," Endymion answered. Jadeite blinked rapidly at this answer.

"I telepathed with you the first time that you met?" The prince and princess nodded. "And I was unable to realize that there was something going on?" They nodded again. "Good lord," he said as he shook his head back and forth.

It wasn't until a few minutes later that he realized something a bit more important. He cut into the conversation that had swelled in after his silence. "Wait one minute!" His eyes locked onto Serenity's and she leaned back at the force of it. Endymion's hand slid down her arm until he laced his fingers with hers tightly. "How did you manage to hear my messages? If they were urgent enough to interrupt you, then I would have made sure that only Endymion could receive them."

It was a difficult explanation to give, but Serenity managed with quite a bit of grace. Lunarians were involved and other such things that were foreign to the men. Eventually the conversation steered to other topics such as the origins of their pet names as well as some more important matters like the laws of their respective worlds and how many were being broken. Serenity felt herself ailing after a while. Her body was still not fully recovered from the night before and it was hard to handle all of the questions and comments that were being thrown at her. Even Endymion had to sit down once the discussion fell into full swing.

A thought occurred to the blonde suddenly and succinctly. 'Venus should be here.'

'Why?' The man at her side asked.

Serenity didn't even flinch when Endymion picked up on her private thought. She merely replied, 'Because we should deal with all secrets if we deal with one.' Though Serenity had minor empathic connections with her senshi for safety purposes, the bonds were not strong enough to speak across long distances like she did with the prince. In order for her to contact Venus a planet away, she usually had to either be in very dire circumstances so that her adrenaline would assist her or she had to fall into a deeply meditative state. With the resources that Serenity had at her disposal at that moment, she would have to try a version of the second.

In order to prevent suspicion amongst the generals, she would have to do it within seconds and with her eyes open. Her brain shut down to the outside world and she focused all of her thoughts and energy on the senshi of love. It wasn't enough for her. Venus's mind was still too far away for her to reach. Without her command or knowledge, her body began to draw power from her lover through their intertwined hands.

Endymion jolted when he felt it. He was a little confused, having not paid attention to the process she was going through. He began to talk with his generals in her place so that her lack of attention would not be noticed. There were a few more moments before the draining of his strength stopped and he had to stifle a yawn.

Because of the speed of the procedure and the amount of intensity it took for every second that Serenity kept up the connection, she was only able to send one word to her friend. It was backed with enough intent that the senshi would not question the order, however.

'Did you reach her?'

The princess smiled when Zoicite said something to her. 'Yes, just barely.'

'What did you tell her?'

'Come.'

"We cannot trust you."

"I do not expect you to trust me, Nephrite," she responded to the general's statement. "I do, however, expect for you to continue to trust your prince. You must understand that neither Endymion nor I planned any of this. It was as much a shock to us and it is to you now."

"I doubt that," Nephrite cut in sharply.

"Would you desist! I can take little more of this criticism from you! I speak only the truth when I say that your prince and I were shocked. So shocked by our sudden attraction, in fact, that I resisted for quite a while." She paused a moment to try and curb her anger. "You cannot possibly comprehend what we were feeling. For that matter, there is no way for you to understand the emotions that run through us at this very moment."

The general rolled his eyes at what he considered her melodrama. "You are bonded. I am perfectly aware of what that entails."

"It is more than that!" she yelled. The four men not engaged in the conversation nervously looked towards the door, afraid that someone might have heard her. Serenity stood from her seat in order to kneel in front of Nephrite. She grabbed one of his rough hands. "I love him!" she said as she earnestly looked up at him. "I am so much a part of him that I feel my soul tear apart when we are not together. Do you not know how that feels?"

His face was solemn. The brown eyes that once flared with a bright fire now seemed smothered. "No, princess. I do not."

"Then let me show you." A few tears had fallen from her eyes and she brought his hand to her cheek so that he could feel them. She let her eyes droop closed and Nephrite felt himself do the same. With a little direction, she fed the link that she had formed with his hand and sent him her emotions. The general's head fell back against the chair. Serenity was being easy on him, but even a touch of what she felt for Endymion was overwhelming. Warmth, tenderness, but also passion swirled inside of him. Wave upon wave crashed through his system until he responded to their call. His eyes opened slowly and his head leaned toward the princess's. The hand that he had resting upon her face slipped to the back of her neck. It clutched the soft skin and turned Serenity's head upward.

Had the others not known any better, it would have seemed that Nephrite was trying to kiss the young woman. Jadeite's curiosity got the better of him and he tapped into the transaction taking place before him. He felt their strong emotions and his eyes widened from them. They did not take him over as they had Nephrite, however, since he was not so intimately connected to the blonde. With a smirk he turned to Endymion. "If you do not watch out, Endy, Nephrite will steal your woman."

"The irony of this situation amuses me. Just a few minutes ago Nephrite was treating her like a criminal on the street and now he seems entranced with her," Kunzite said smiling.

"Almost as if he is in love," Endymion whispered.

Jadeite was surprised by his liege's words. "I understand now. She said that she would show him what love felt like and she has." The young man turned to his leader and dear friend. "I am not sure if I would let him experience it much longer, prince. He may do something he regrets. Better yet, he may do something you will regret."

End Chapter 12

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So, an interesting twist to Serenity's powers…don't ask me how this idea popped into my head. Next chapter there is another new revelation…Stay tuned!

Please send ANY comments to me, Sereko.


	14. Chapter 13

Affair by Sereko

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters associated with the story (except for Prince Arian). I merely use Naoko Takeuchi's genius as a starting point for my own storytelling.

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Chapter 13

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The black-haired man didn't seem to acknowledge Jadeite's words. His expression was serene, as it had been the entire time. He let a few more moments pass, knowing that if he interfered too soon Nephrite wouldn't retain as much as Serenity intended him to.

"Will she not stop him?" Kunzite asked incredulously.

"She is entranced almost as much as he is. She believes Nephrite to be me," Endymion said in a quiet tone. It was when Nephrite's second hand grasped Serenity's and began to pull her up that Endymion finally decided to intervene. With a calmness unbefitting the situation he reached out an arm towards his beloved. He made no other movements, not even rising from his seat. He called to her without words or thoughts but with feelings. The air seemed to ripple from it. Jadeite and Kunzite could have sworn that they actually felt the shift happen around them even though there was no wind or other physical evidence.

Not even a second managed to pass before Serenity responded. Her body swayed back away from Nephrite and her hand slid from his. Easily and carefully she weakened her link with him. The further she went from him, the thinner their bond. When her hand finally moved to clasp Endymion's, the link completely diminished. Her eyes opened and she stared up at Endymion from her kneeling position on the floor. The blue of them cleared quickly and, following a little more of the prince's coaxing, her consciousness finally returned to her.

Nephrite felt her slip from him and nearly cried out. She took with her everything that had filled him. His body was sucked dry in one foul swoop. Jadeite watched in wonder as his friend fell back in his seat panting. It wasn't long until Nephrite's true being came back to him. When it did, he looked at the others with big eyes. "Endymion, your princess is a magician." He looked at the woman with a tint of fear in his eyes.

"Amongst other things," the liege continued for him as he led her into a stand. She resisted when he tried to move her into her seat. Instead she sat on his lap so that she could wrap her arms around his shoulders to hug him. "Usako." The well-bred part of him thought to frown (or blush) at the blatant public display of affection, but the need to comfort her swamped his modest attempt at moving her.

"Mamo-chan," her voice whispered next to his ear while her cheek pressed against his own. The others looked on. Something in Nephrite, that had yet to die off entirely, twisted at the sight.

Kunzite leaned forward in concern when Serenity didn't relent in her tight hold on the prince. "Is she all right?"

Endymion smiled when he noted that Zoicite, Jadeite and Nephrite also seemed to be concerned. "It is just an aftereffect. She needs reassurance that I am here and not an imposter." He shifted his love so that her arms encircled his waist instead of his neck and so that her legs fell across his. Her head naturally fell into place against his shoulder.

When he deemed it proper to begin conversation again, Nephrite spoke to the princess. "I thank you for what you did, my lady. I had never before understood love and, therefore, never sought it out. Now I know what I am missing." He made eye contact with Endymion. "I appreciate what binds you so strongly to my liege that you cannot bear to be separated."

Jadeite couldn't stop himself from chuckling off to the side. Nephrite glared at him. "I am sorry." The brown-haired man looked skeptical. "I am just not used to you being so sentimental."

The two quickly got into a bickering argument that's only purpose seemed to be to lighten the atmosphere. It worked, quite well in fact, and for the next long while the six engaged in inconsequential chatter. Serenity had moved to her chair and was just beginning to relax when she felt a presence appear on Earth. She made sure that the newly arrived senshi could sense her and find her way to the bedroom before she turned back to the men before her. It didn't take long before she was standing from her seat and walking towards the door.

"Princess, are you going somewhere?" Jadeite asked the question on everyone's mind.

The blonde turned when she reached the door. "No, I am just greeting someone."

"Greeting someone?" Nephrite inquired. He received no answer because Serenity had already begun to open the door. Everyone looked on in curiosity.

Serenity held her breath before she let the figure inside. She took care to shut the door behind her friend and also to check for eavesdroppers. Luckily, she found none.

Once the woman removed her hood and unhooked her cloak, gasps were heard from three of the generals on the other side of the room. Her beauty rivaled that of the princess next to her. Golden tresses fell freely down her back as smoky eyelashes lifted to reveal eyes as blue as the day's sky. The fourth general had not the ability to gasp. All he could manage was a straightening of his posture. What was the meaning of this?

The senshi looked at her liege in confusion. She did not expect to find people that she did not know in the room. What was the meaning of this?

Serenity smirked and wondered if Kunzite and Venus realized that they shared the same thoughts. She looked to her protector comfortingly. "I assure you that I have a good reason for this. Please, follow me." Sailor Venus obeyed hesitantly and walked a few yards until she and her princess were mere feet from the now standing Terrans. Unconsciously she swept at the layered skirt of her dress with her fingers, attempting to dust off imaginary lint. She was happy now that she was not in her sailor fuku. How awkward that might have been.

"Gentlemen, I would like to introduce you to the Princess of Venus and acting leader of my guards the Sailor Senshi, Sailor Venus." Venus curtseyed after the proclamation and silently cursed her liege for revealing her identity when she was so happy only a moment before that it would be adequately concealed.

As Serenity introduced the men, Venus's eyes sought out Kunzite's only to find them securely locked on her already. There was a fierceness in their silvery depths that she had rarely seen before. He clearly did not approve of her princess's actions.

"Why is she here, my lady?" Zoicite asked.

"Because I called her here," was the reply. "There is one more secret that needs to be revealed today and she is a part of it." Kunzite and Venus reacted immediately to the woman's words. The senshi drew back a step from her leader and brought a hand to cover her open mouth. The general clenched his hands into fists and ground his teeth as he fought to restrain himself from attacking the princess.

'Be careful. You are treading on dangerous ground,' said Endymion as he slipped towards his about-to-be-strangled lover.

'You would not dare,' growled the silver-haired guardian.

Serenity seemed unfazed by the comment. She squeezed one of her senshi's hands tightly in reassurance and turned her eyes on the general. 'It is time, Kunzite. Whether you believe it or not. They know about Endymion and me. It is only logical to inform them of the two of you as well.'

'I warn you now, Serenity, to leave this matter alone or even my prince will not be able to prevent my actions.' She didn't answer him and so he continued, 'You promised, princess!' he yelled, his eyes glittering like ice. 'You promised that you would not divulge that information to anyone.'

'I know. I am sorry,' she whispered. Her blue orbs looked toward the quivering form of Venus. 'I am truly sorry, but there is no threat here. These are your friends. Your secret will still be safely guarded. Why are you afraid that they would hurt you with it?'

'Because it has been too long,' Venus thought. A year had passed since she began her rendezvous with Kunzite and the two of them had become quite accustomed to keeping their personal life separate from everything else. They lived in fear of the day that anyone stumbled upon what they did in private. Only bad could come from it.

Kunzite didn't respond. He let out a low growl from the back of his throat to enunciate his displeasure, though. It succeeded in gathering the attention of the other members of the room. Jadeite psychically delved into his friend to try and calm him as he always did whenever any of his friends needed consoling. He was surprised to find himself blocked by a stronghold of interchanging thoughts. The blonde blinked in bafflement. His superior had shut him out. What was going on? He voiced his question out loud a moment later.

The princess acknowledged Jadeite with a look and nothing more. She took a step towards Kunzite. Her expression turned both solemn and hopeful. 'You could be free,' she whispered earnestly. Kunzite bit his lip and clenched his fists into tighter balls. 'Kunzite, you knew you would not be able to keep this hidden forever.'

'No, I did not. You are making sure that there is no chance of such a thing happening.'

She stared at the anxious man. In her heart of hearts, she understood that his apprehension stemmed from his desire to protect Venus, but she also knew that it would be good for them to tell others. If only because then they'd have help when they tried to meet one another. It was a given that they would do so again soon. No matter how hard they tried, they could not part for too long. Serenity had seen the evidence right before her wedding ceremony. Venus had a brand on her breast. She and Kunzite were bonded.

But mostly, Serenity understood how taxing it was to keep the other half of your heart a secret from everyone you ever spoke to, friends and strangers alike. To have to hide a part of who you were in a corner every morning before you stepped out of your room was a heavy burden. It would be a relief like none other for Kunzite and Venus to finally share their immense happiness with someone, anyone. They needed a sympathetic ear. 'Would you really have kept this in the shadows forever? Sneaking behind backs and stealing quick kisses once a week? No love, no matter how strong, can stand up to such circumstances.'

His silence was her answer.

'Please, let me do this for you. Let me and these wonderful men help you.' She glanced over at Endymion. He sent her an encouraging smile, even though she could sense that he thought her fight was futile. He knew firsthand how stubborn Kunzite could be.

'No!' The loud exclamation startled Serenity. She turned her head sharply in Kunzite's direction. Their companions turned as well and it wasn't until then that Serenity realized he had screamed out loud.

Things were beginning to get out of hand. In a last ditch attempt to reason with the white-haired man, the princess took hold of Venus's arm and began walking towards the door. "Then you do not deserve her," she said quietly. Surprise and anger immediately rose up in Kunzite. "I will ensure that you never see her again." Both Venus and Kunzite's eyes widened. As desperation quickly swept over him, Kunzite moved forward.

Within moments, Serenity found herself being shoved to the side. Her feet stumbled as she tried to gain her balance again. She looked up to see Kunzite standing in front of her. Venus was pushed protectively behind his back. The senshi looked at her liege with confusion and apology.

'This is it, Mamo-chan.' Serenity spared a quick glance to her lover. 'This is it.'

'Be careful,' he said from his place on the other end of the room.

Taking a deep breath, she continued with her plan. "Kunzite," she warned while reaching out a hand to her senshi.

"You will not take her from me," he vehemently whispered. His fellow generals shared a look. They knew that Serenity and Kunzite had been speaking telepathically, but it seemed as though they missed more of the conversation than they had originally thought. Memories only a day old came rushing back to them. Weren't they just in this situation? Who was this Venus and how was she connected to their leader? A faint echo of 'Who was this Usako and why was their prince protecting her?' flittered through their heads.

"That is not your choice to make."

"More mine than yours!" Kunzite yelled back. Zoicite stared intently at his good friend. There was a fire ignited in him that he had never seen before. It was as if Kunzite had finally come alive. Blood was rioting through his veins, emotions were overtaking his control, and even his steely discipline and etiquette were being repressed.

"And why is that?" Serenity's eyes bore into the general's. 'Come on, Kunzite,' she thought to herself. 'You can say it.'

And he did.

He was boiling from the inside out. Everything in him was simmering and culminating and waiting until it could be released. Such emotion had never flared through his very bones before and he wasn't sure what to do with it. All he could piece together in his passion-driven mind was that someone was trying to take his Minara away from him. The beautiful goddess who had filled him with warmth and compassion. The one who had tantalizing eyes that froze him with their misty hue. He was sure that the only reason his own heart thumped was to keep time with hers. Gods. Mind swimming and body humming, he gathered all of his energy to stare down at the high princess before him.

"Because I love her!"

Silence quickly overtook the room.

Kunzite turned to the woman behind him. She had been clasping the back of his shirt, but released it so that he could face her. There were tears in her eyes. A little bit of shock, he noted, was nestled amongst a sea of wonder and love in her endless blues. Kunzite's only thought was to swipe the tears from her cheeks and lean down to kiss her. He did just that.

Her lips were supple beneath his and her legs gave out much sooner than they usually did. He wrapped her up in his embrace and pressed harder against her mouth. The touch of her, that usually sent him reeling, acted as a splash of cold water in his drowsy face. Clarity slipped back into his system and he was suddenly very aware of the world around him and what he had just done. It was a moment too late.

Kunzite pulled away from Venus sharply, but she clung to his tunic and wouldn't let him let go of her waist like he had her lips. He spun around with her to face his fellow generals. His eyes were wide with fear as he tried to gauge their reactions. For the most part, they seemed too surprised to have any reactions.

Nephrite blinked, then shook his head, then looked again at his commander. "Kunzite?" he questioned. The white-haired man looked away. He had tried so hard and, in the end, he had given away the secret himself. 'I am sorry,' he told Venus before clenching his eyes shut. Which is why he didn't notice Serenity until she was at his side, gripping one of his hands.

"It is all right, Kunzite." She squeezed his hand until he opened his eyes to look at her. "You have done nothing wrong."

He didn't believe her, so Endymion spoke up from a few yards away. "Kunzite. You did nothing wrong," he forcefully repeated. The general nodded hesitantly before glancing once again at his peers. The generals seemed to have moved passed their shock and were now sending him warm smiles. Were they happy for him? He wasn't sure because he had never seen them act in such a way before. He met the eyes of Jadeite and the soft blues that stared back at him sent him nothing but comfort.

"How long?" Nephrite asked, then shook his head. "I cannot believe that that is the second time I have had to ask that question in less than a full day's time."

Jadeite slapped him on the back. "Relax, Nephrite. The world has not gone mad. It is merely that these two inspiring, young women have stolen the hearts of two of our best friends," he said dramatically. The two men chuckled. "Coincidentally, they told us about it at the same time. Coincidentally, both ladies are from somewhere other than Earth." He watched as Serenity and Venus blushed in embarrassment. "It is a small world indeed."

While Jadeite had been talking, Zoicite had approached Kunzite. The white-haired man seemed to be in better spirits after his friend's words. "Congratulations. I had almost thought it impossible for you to feel strongly for anything other than your duty. I am glad to find out that I was wrong." They shared a smile.

"Thank you," Kunzite whispered appreciatively.

"Hey!" Nephrite called out. "That reminds me, Kunzite. I thought that you and I were one in the same. Stoicism until the end. What happened?"

Kunzite looked down at his beloved. He cupped one of her cheeks in his hand and then tenderly leaned down to kiss her. He pulled away slowly and looked back to the brown-haired man. "If the princess' demonstration earlier was not enough, then I do not know how else to tell you." Kunzite gazed briefly into sky-blue eyes. "And I refuse to let Minara give you the same treatment."

Nephrite barked out loudly with Jadeite. Endymion just bowed his head, respectfully refusing to laugh at the comment. Serenity smile slightly on his behalf.

"Well, enough of this. Let us sit and interrogate the Lady Venus as we have just done with Serenity." Jadeite good-naturedly grabbed both of Venus's hands and pulled her away from the bedroom door (and Kunzite). She laughed at his antics.

---

It was late in the day before Venus remembered herself. She had been having such a wonderful time getting to know her lover's friends. Every now and again one or two of them would have to disappear for a while to tend to their duties. They kept their load light, but they still did some work to ensure that no one would become suspicious of their absence. Pretty soon, the day passed and the Moon was beginning to rise over the Terran hills. It wasn't until then that Venus thought about reality.

Her princess had fled her own wedding to go to a forbidden planet in order to be with a forbidden man. The queen was still searching for her. And it wouldn't be too long before the short-tempered woman lost every scrap of her meager patience. Venus had to get Serenity back to the Palace.

She glanced over at her liege. The golden-haired beauty was lounging on a settee with Endymion. He had her tucked in between his legs, with his arms imprisoning her from either side. It was a human fortress of warmth and security. However unconscious, the prince knew that the one thing his Serenity needed more than anything at that moment was to feel safe. He was smiling down at her, briefly showing off his dimples whenever she laughed. Aloft in one hand, he taunted her with a bunch of grapes. The princess tried her best to reach out for the fruit, but Endymion would just pull it away further. She pouted up at him, but he only laughed and brought a grape to his own mouth.

Their innocent playing soothed Venus's heart. What a thing their love was. She reached out to her side and clasped Kunzite's hand. He glanced away from his conversation with Zoicite to look at her. She simply smiled at him and he squeezed her hand before turning back to his friend.

'Princess,' Venus brushed Serenity mind. The touch was very soft so as not to startle the young woman. In fact, it was so feather light that Serenity almost didn't pick it up. 'Princess,' Venus eased once more, this time slightly louder.

'Yes, Minara?' Serenity questioned without turning her attention away from Endymion and the grapes. A grin split her face when she managed to pluck a piece of the fruit from her lover's hands.

'I must get you home, my lady.' It did not go unnoticed by Serenity that Venus slipped into formal speech. They had been friends for a moment, but now it was back to princess and senshi.

She paused and laid her once raised hand down upon Endymion's knee. The pleasant grin slid from her face. 'You mustn't do anything.'

'In another life maybe, when we are different people. When I stand by your side in sisterhood and do not kneel before you in service. For now, my liege, I have to obey my station. I must return you to your mother.'

Endymion straightened abruptly and wrapped his arm firmly across Serenity's collarbone. He gave the princess no choice but to fall backwards against his chest. Nephrite, who had just re-entered the room from one of his work breaks, noticed the move. He motioned to Jadeite across the room when the prince spoke. "You cannot be serious."

"Princess," Venus reprimanded. "You did not have to tell him. All he can do is worry."

"I told him nothing, Minara." Serenity placed a hand on top of the one Endymion had clutched to her shoulder. "He is bonded to me. He hears my thoughts. That includes telepathy. You are bonded to Kunzite. Is it not the same with you?" she implored.

Venus tightened her hold on Kunzite's hand when the other generals sharply turned their heads in her direction. "Bonded?" Zoicite asked. "You mentioned nothing about being bonded."

Strategically avoiding the confused men, Venus chose to answer her lady instead. "No, princess. Kunzite cannot hear my telepathic conversations unless I let him. For that matter, he cannot easily hear my thoughts either. He must concentrate."

Serenity raised an eyebrow. "Really?" She turned her head to the side to try and look up at Endymion. "Is that unusual?"

The prince affectionately bumped her temple with his chin. "We are the unusual ones, Usako. Usually, bonding only involves sharing emotions. A couple gains an inner awareness of each other. They can sense one another, maybe pick up an unguarded thought here or there. They create a telepathic link, which for the majority of Terrans is a rare thing." He sighed inwardly and shut his eyes. "We are the unusual ones," he repeated faintly.

End Chapter 13

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There it is. Everything's out now. Let's see what they do with this new information…

Please send ANY comments to me, Sereko.


	15. Chapter 14

Affair by Sereko

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters associated with the story. I merely use Naoko Takeuchi's genius as a starting point for my own storytelling.

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Chapter 14

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Serenity could not believe that. She was so attuned to Endymion that sometimes it seemed they were only one person. How could it not be the same with others? She turned to her senshi again. "So you cannot feel one another's pain either? You do not know when he is upset?"

Venus looked confused. "I know when he is upset. I can feel his emotions. And if by 'feel his pain' you mean can I discern when he is sad or brokenhearted, then yes."

"No, no," the blonde replied while shaking her head. "If Kunzite is injured, do you not feel it?"

Now Venus looked concerned. She and the rest of the men leaned towards the royal couple. "No, of course I cannot feel it. Do you mean to tell me that anytime Endymion is hurt, you sense his pain?" Venus scooted forward in her chair so that she could lay a hand on her leader's knee.

"Sense?" Serenity practically scoffed. Endymion refused to look at the group. He kept his head turned towards the bedroom windows, his arms still tightly holding the princess. It was as if he knew the shock his friends were about to face and was trying to hide from it. "A lot more than sense! I experience it like it were my own."

"Prince?" Kunzite questioned in astonishment. Endymion stubbornly refused to answer.

"Can you really not feel Kunzite in the same way?" the princess continued, almost as though she were unaware of the disbelief around her. "Not even a little tingle or twinge? The last time that Endymion was injured in battle, I collapsed in a dead faint. It cannot be true that you feel absolutely nothing when the same happens to Kunzite."

Venus face drained of color. She moved to kneel on the ground in front of her friend. With cautious movements, she raised both hands to cup the younger woman's face. Serenity raised a delicate, blonde eyebrow in question. Before the senshi could speak, Zoicite cut her off.

"Fainted?" he asked in a thin voice that suggested that he might just do the same.

Serenity was too busy staring at Venus to answer him, but Endymion gave an imperceptible nod from his position facing the window. "But how?" Jadeite asked in confusion. "Bonding is a powerful thing that can connect two people in amazing ways, but not like that. It is extremely hard for one to live past their bonded mate's death, however, it is still possible. The way that you are describing your link, it would almost seem that if one of you died, the other would most certainly follow. If not from emotional loss, then simply from the fact that the other could feel the death as if it were their own."

Endymion's countenance grew rigid. He moved his free arm around Serenity's waist so that he could interlace his fingers firmly with her own. His thumb began a stroking gesture that's purpose seemed to be to soothe him more than her. His head drooped slightly, allowing for tendrils of his hair to partially block his face from the generals.

To Jadeite, the sequence of actions served as a louder proclamation than shouting "You guessed right!" would have been. He jumped up from his seat. "Endymion!" Without waiting or asking for permission, he strode around the settee to stand directly in front of the prince. He put his hands on his hips and looked down at the bowed head of black hair beneath him. The gesture would have been considered extremely disrespectful under normal circumstances. Jadeite was past caring. "Tell me right now that what I just suggested was an exaggeration. That under no circumstances would it ever be true that if Serenity were to die, you would follow her at almost the same exact second."

Endymion remained silent. Serenity clutched his hand, still looking at Venus.

"Endymion!" the shout came out like a command. Everyone in the room stiffened. The prince's head shot upward and locked in a heated gaze with his blonde general.

"Jadeite," he said evenly. The other man immediately dropped to his knees and lowered his head.

"I am sorry, my liege." Jadeite raised his hands above him in supplication. There were some lines that Endymion allowed you to cross. He practically let you prance on the other side of them. By all accounts, he was considered one of the most informal leaders the Earth had ever seen. But there were still a few lines that were never to be touched. No one was to even come close to thinking about them. Commanding the prince was one of those lines and Jadeite had just leapt over it. "I am truly sorry."

Endymion took a moment before sighing and laying a gentle hand on top of his friend's head. It was pointless to try and stay mad at the man under the circumstances. "Jadeite," he called softly. The blonde looked up obediently. Endymion let his hand slide from the top of sandy locks along Jadeite's cheek until it stopped at his chin. He looked deeply into the man's eyes. He used his hand as leverage to straighten Jadeite on his knees. With deliberate slowness, he leaned forward and kissed his general's forehead.

Jadeite knew that this meant he was forgiven. It also meant that he was allowed to speak. And he did, but very quietly and with his eyes looking to the floor. "I am scared." He felt Endymion tenderly run a few fingers through his hair. "I do not wish to lose you."

The prince hesitated and then said, "You will not."

Nephrite decided that it was a good time to change the subject. "Back to the topic at hand…" He waited a moment for the tension to leave the air. Jadeite stood and walked over to rejoin Nephrite in a grouping of chairs. "How is it possible for the prince and princess to have such a strong connection?"

"Could they not also be soul mates?" Zoicite inquired. "If one were to add a bonding ritual to a joining like that, then the result would be most extraordinary."

"Minara is assured that they are soul mates. But even that is not enough. Soul mates may have telepathy, empathy, a common thread of destiny and even a link that increases their magical power, but they do not die without the other," Kunzite answered.

"Do they not? If your soul mate were to die, you may live physically but emotionally you would be dead to the world," Nephrite interjected.

Venus was still prostrate in front of her princess. She smoothed the other woman's cheeks with her thumbs. They had yet to lose eye contact for the past five minutes. She faintly heard Jadeite say, "But Endymion is saying that he would also die physically," behind her.

"Serenity?" she questioned, catching the attention of the men. "I must ask you one more thing. It is important that you tell me the truth." The blonde, almost silver-haired goddess nodded. "Have you ever bled?"

"Well, of course I have. I just ran through an overgrown forest last night and received several cuts as my reward."

Venus shook her head. "No, princess. Have you ever bled when Endymion was injured?" Serenity paused. "When you felt his pain a planet away, did it ever escalate from you merely feeling it to you actually experiencing it?"

Serenity looked away guiltily. "Yes," she breathed. Endymion turned from his window to look sharply at her, so she ducked her head. Venus released her face to clutch both of her hands.

"You have bled?" she repeated.

Again, Serenity looked away. "Yes."

Endymion loosened his hold on her in shock. "You have? Why did you not tell me?"

She touched her chin to her chest. "I did not want you to worry. It has only happened twice, anyway."

Venus's hold became crushing. "Last month? That day that you had your arm in a sling. Was that because of him?" she guessed. Her liege nodded slowly. "Serenity," she intoned so fervently that the woman in question looked at her with worry. "Yesterday, when you appeared in your room at the Palace and then disappeared just as quickly," she waited until Serenity knew what she was referring to before continuing. "You did not just come from somewhere on the Moon, did you? And when you transported out of there, it was not simply to some place outside of the Palace, was it?"

"No."

"It was to Earth, was it not? You did not transport yourself to the transporter room in order to use a teleporter. You actually teleported from the Moon to Earth by yourself."

"Yes." There were shocked gasps from the rest of the room.

"Oh goddess Selene," Venus whispered. She pulled away to reseat herself in her chair. Kunzite telepathically asked her what was wrong. "The intense telepathy. The blood. The teleportation. They are connected by more than their souls and more than the few drops of blood that the Terran bonding requires. They are Companions." She let everyone absorb that information. "Loosely translated, that means that they are life mates. Their very essence is joined together."

The leader of the Sailor Senshi heaved a heavy sigh. "It is so much worse than I had feared." Within her, Venus was waging a war. Part of her was in utter rapture at having found such a blindingly perfect connection of two souls as if she had just struck gold hidden deep in a mountain. The last recorded occurrence of Companions was three thousand years in the past. Their coming did not come idly, though. There was always a terrible reason that something as pure as Companions was created. Venus deeply feared what evil could be lurking in the shadows that could have set in motion such a momentous event. "Goddess, protect us," she whispered too quietly for anyone to hear.

"Fear?" the princess asked innocently. "What about us is there to fear?"

Venus shrugged off the question and stood abruptly. "We must leave at once." The drastic change in topic brought everyone to attention. Venus was no longer speaking as a friend, or even as a senshi, she was using the commanding tone of a child of the Goddess Venus.

The blonde beneath her hid her face in her lover's shoulder. Endymion looked down at her tenderly, with a gaze of such love and devotion that Venus nearly wept. This was the woman who owned his heart. She hadn't even had to try to steal it from him. It had been lying in wait for her since his birth. Her slim hand clenched his. "No," she spoke softly. Endymion could tell by the tone of her voice that her resolve wasn't in it. For reasons beyond his understanding she felt bad, even guilty, for what she had done – for fleeing a marriage to a man she was not destined to be with. Venus would have her home for dinner without even having to lift a finger. That knowledge sobered him. He knew what was awaiting her there. The anger. The pain. More than anything, he wished he could provide her with all that she would ever need so that she could remain on Earth. Where he could protect her.

But such a life wasn't available.

"There is no life for you here," Venus spoke as if hearing his personal thoughts. "I hate to say it, but you are in as much danger here as you are on the Moon." She waited a beat, long enough to meet eyes with Kunzite. "However, the longer we wait, the angrier your mother will become."

Serenity nodded in understanding. "Then let us leave now before I have time to think about it." She immediately fled Endymion's arms and walked to the door.

Venus knew better than to hesitate. She telepathically nudged Kunzite so that he would escort them safely to the transporter room. He slid in behind her seamlessly.

Endymion tried to get up to follow, but was knocked down by something. As Nephrite and Zoicite helped him back to his feet, he heard in his mind, 'I am sorry, but I do not have the strength to say good-bye.' He understood. Of course he did. He, himself, didn't have the strength to watch her walk back into the hands of her mother.

"I love you," he whispered both out loud and in his head a few minutes later when he felt her slipping away. Jadeite, who was standing near him but facing away, placed a warm hand on his liege's shoulder. He wished with everything inside of him that he could understand the pain that echoed in Endymion's voice. If only so that he would know what gut-wrenching loneliness was, what true helplessness felt like, and be able to avoid it at all costs.

'And I you,' came the silent response.

A tear dripped onto Jadeite's forefinger.

-----

'Please take care of her.' The rapidly fading request reached Venus even as she started to see the Moon form around her.

'I will do my best, prince,' she answered back before her connection to Earth was completely severed. She sincerely hoped that her best would be enough to protect the princess. Queen Serenity was not known for being forgiving or gentle and Venus feared what she had planned for her absent daughter. 'Gods, give her strength.'

-----

The princess wasn't aware when the palm flashed across her cheek. The force of the slap was harsh enough to have her rocking back on her heels, though. Her body jerked and her eyes shot open as stinging pain lanced through her.

"I said kneel!!" the queen screamed.

The second slap was much harder, almost as hard as a punch, and dragged across her skin painfully. A large ring on the queen's forefinger scraped a line along her flesh. Blood rushed to the surface of her face and gushed where the scrape provided release. Serenity felt like her entire jaw had realigned itself, her eyes bursting from their sockets and her bones bruising with her skin. This time, she was unable to stay standing as she stumbled. Instead, Serenity found her body dropped like dead weight straight down into a kneeling position.

The stunned audience looked on with morbid fascination as their princess slowly raised her head. With her lip bleeding and her head pounding, Serenity was unable to even let out a whisper as she looked at her mother.

Queen Serenity roared in outrage, "How dare you lift your head to stare at me, peasant!" She imperially pointed a finger at her chest. "Bow!" With that command, a silver streak of power flew from the queen's hand to her daughter's body. The bolt collided with the princess's skin at the valley in between her breasts. It continued like a whip as it cracked down the length of her front, not tearing her clothes but leaving a long and deep welt on her skin where it touched. Defensively, Serenity's body coiled together and her head dropped to rest on her chest.

With a happy smirk and a twinkle in her eye, the queen turned to return to her place on the throne. "That is better." The leader of the Moon continued on, mumbling things of great satisfaction to herself. She stopped when she saw her daughter stand up. "What do you think you are doing, you brat?!" Her hand itched into a fist and she had to hold herself back from jumping down the dais steps and throttling her child.

Steely, blue eyes glared up at her. "Ignoring you as usual, mother. I have had enough of this punishment."

"Enough? You have only just received a taste, my dear. There is plenty more where that came from," the queen sneered.

"And there is plenty more where this comes from!" Serenity screamed as she thrust a hand towards the top of the dais. A silver streak, much like the one the queen had used just moments before, ran at her mother. Guards were immediately up in arms at the offense against their liege. Despite their best efforts, however, the power slapped against Queen Serenity. She tumbled back into her throne and screamed in pain.

Serenity soon found herself surrounded by a circle of armored guards.

"Take her away this instant!"

The guards proceeded forward. "What will the members of court say when they find out you have imprisoned your own daughter? I am sure they would frown upon it, no matter how disobedient you tell them I am. The bad reputation would certainly not mix well with your previous foul of divorcing my father," said a confidently grinning princess.

"Do not tangle with me, Serenity," the queen hissed in a tone that suddenly left the blonde feeling slightly unsure. "I only wish to keep you in the dungeons at night. No one must be the wiser by tomorrow's light. I think a week, at least, of sleeping on a cell floor during the dark hours will be enough to weaken your stubborn and rebellious resolve. It should be enough to teach you not to ruin any more sanctified marriages." Serenity's eyes began to widen in fear. "And if you attempt to inform any authorities of what has befallen you, they will think you crazy."

Before Serenity could stop it or her friends could save her, seven guards swarmed in on her. They efficiently shackled her ankles and wrists. Her frenzied eyes met the hopeless blues of Mercury. Venus, who was standing next to the ice senshi, placed a warm arm around her waist as they watched Serenity being carted off. It took everything in them not to retaliate against the queen, but in the backs of their minds they knew they would have better luck helping their liege if they waited and planned. By acting out now, they would only find themselves thrown in the dungeons along with their friend. And that would help no one.

"No one goes against this queen and wins, daughter. You had best learn that sooner rather than later." The whispered jeer cut icily through the quieting room and straight to Serenity's ears. Seconds later, the throne room doors had shut and she found herself being tugged unceremoniously down palace hallways.

-----

It was darker underground, much darker. After a mile-long trip through the hours of sunset, she had reached the Moon's capital prison site. Unlike the traditional castles of the nine planets, the Moon separated their dungeons from their royal dwellings as a matter of cleanliness and propriety. There were several offices and minor-offense cells placed above ground in the large building. However, the guards carrying her had not stopped on the first floor. They unlocked a door to the side that led to a very elaborate staircase. A very elaborate, very dark staircase. Only torches that were hung on the walls shed light into the gloom of the dungeons.

A multitude of less than honorable men cat-called and leered from behind their steel bars in the catacombs of jail cells. Some interesting suggestions would have had Serenity's entire body flush a deep crimson had the situation not been so dire. At the end of the hall, the noise started to dim. The princess noted that it was because she was reaching an expanse of empty cells. Her guards finally stopped and waited while one of them unlocked a chamber. Serenity skidded on the mangy floor of her new room when the guards threw her inside. Her gate was shut with a resounding clang.

A whimper escaped her lips. The stench was foul and she could still hear perverted noises and propositions as they lingered through the dark hall. Her face and front ached like a burning fire from the assault by her mother. Now, her wrists and ankles were also aching from the cold tightness of her bindings. She shakily stood and pulled against her shackles. No matter how hard she pushed and pried, her arms and legs were securely latched. Her straining efforts only left dark bruises and raw scratches upon her skin, but no freedom.

Was this really happening to her?

She pondered the question and quickly decided that pinching herself would not be a good way to determine the truth.

Her heart shuddered against her chest. She attempted to contact Endymion but failed. It seemed that her being underground was enough of a barrier to hinder their link. She was left with only being able to send out a slight bit of fearful and tearful emotion.

His response snapped through her. Though Serenity made an effort to convey that she was all right, she was unable to lie to him. Her emotions betrayed her and sent Endymion a message of dirty horror. In response, the prince tried to hold back his worry for her and, instead, embraced her with soothing waves of comfort. He knew he was unable to do any more at that moment but ease her terror.

Under his administrations, Serenity could almost forget her surroundings and find softness in the straw below her.

---

The princess stirred awake one night a few days later. She was in a pair of familiar arms and being moved past familiar walls. Her body ached and she shifted slightly in the arms. A moan followed her movements.

"Shh, Sere. We are almost home." A feathery touch was placed on her forehead. "Just a few more feet. Ah," the voice sighed and she felt herself being lowered. "Here you are." The caress of a tender hand trailed over her bruised cheek. "Would that I could kill her for what she has done to you," the soft voice murmured.

Another presence appeared at her other side. It brought with it oils and ointments that were placed on her still ailing cheek, wrists, ankles and along the center of her front. Two or three other voices, Serenity was unable to tell precisely how many, fluttered about by the foot of her bed. She whined weakly as bandages were placed on her injured areas.

In a burst of unknown strength, Serenity shoved the prodding hands away from her form. She rolled away from them and curled herself up into a protective ball.

"Princess, it is okay. I am only trying to heal your wounds." Serenity curled into a tighter ball when one of the hands reached for her again.

"Serenity," placated a third voice.

More hands tried to touch her and she thrust them away from her like the others. The prodding stopped its insistence once she let out a long, painful whine. Serenity could hear the murmuring voices act up again. Then, out of the mists of her vulnerable mind came a distant articulation.

'Bring her to me.'

End Chapter 14

-------------

Ok, ok…a little overkill on the melodrama. What can I say? I'm a sucker for excessive emotion. - Hope you all enjoyed it anyway!

Please send ANY comments to me, Sereko.


	16. Chapter 15

Affair by Sereko

I would apologize for taking so long to post, but I think I'm becoming notorious for it…and so it would be repetitious. Life has taken a hold of me for too long now, leaving little time for dalliances like fanfiction writing. Hopefully the next chapter will be up in shorter time.

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters associated with the story. I merely use Naoko Takeuchi's genius as a starting point for my own storytelling.

……….

Chapter 15

……….

They had picked her up again and had quietly moved her through the same halls she had passed through earlier. At some point, the jostling came to a stop and she heard muddled whispers. Her weight was transferred from one set of arms to another. She cried in protest.

The owner of the new arms crooned in her ear to soothe her and keep her moans silent. She obeyed even as she felt the bumping motions of walking start up again. A cape was spread over her and she was grateful for its warmth. The atmosphere around her had abruptly changed and had sent a chill through her.

"We are almost there, princess," said her carrier.

Now, where had she heard that before?

Serenity became indifferent to all that was going on around her. She was about to drift back into a deep slumber when she sensed a feeling of worry. Her eyes opened to appease whomever it was that was sending her those emotions. The hazy cloud over her eyes cleared somewhat when she saw the color of deep, midnight blue gazing down at her.

The next thing she knew, she was being placed on a soft and padded something. The eyes followed her until she was assured that the owner was sitting next to her. She reached out in panic when their eyes broke contact so that the owner of the eyes could turn his head and converse with someone behind him.

"Why is she acting like she has been drugged?"

"I cannot be sure if it is the effect of her mother's power or an infection she might have picked up from the dungeons or if it is purely a psychological reaction. I need more time to be certain. I will also need to examine her but she refused my attentions after I placed some medicine upon her wounds."

She felt like someone should have laughed at that. Her stubbornness was always cause for a good chuckle. There were no such joyful sounds to meet her ears this time.

As another bout of lethargy swept over her, she turned away from the voices and once again adopted the fetal position. Her ankles protested at being rubbed together which made her cry out. A hand was immediately placed upon her shoulder. She pushed at it with an angry moan.

"Do you see?"

No one answered the question. Or at least, no one gave an audible answer to the question and since Serenity's back was turned from her attendants she was incapable of seeing any nods.

The feeling of worry being sent to her grew exponentially. She pushed at it like the hands. When the worry swiftly changed to compassion, she sighed happily.

A slight weight on her hip indicated to Serenity that someone was trying to touch her again. Unlike the other hands, this one was warm and velvety and inviting. She didn't try to get rid of it. When it trailed up to her shoulder, she even turned into it. Her body uncurled so that she could flip around to face the hand.

A second hand of equal warmth was her reward for the movement. One of her own fists opened and stretched out. It wavered in the air while it searched. Serenity was happy to find that one of the warm hands speedily left her body to clutch the shaky appendage.

Unfortunately, in turning, Serenity had placed her battered cheek against the softness below her. Her body tensed at the shock of pain as she whimpered loudly.

The hands twisted her so that she was leaning on her back and not aggravating any of her wounds. A kiss was pressed to her forehead. She felt the softness beside her shift and realized that there was now someone sitting next to her. Luckily it was the owner of the warm hands, otherwise she feared she would have tumbled off of the softness in order to get away.  
An arm wrapped around her and pulled her into the crook of the owner's shoulder. Its partner reached out until fingers could brush away her bangs and trail along her jaw line. 'Why must it be that every time I see you, you are in pain?' came a faded whisper in her mind.

Serenity melted and, in doing so, fit her body snuggly and perfectly with the warmth surrounding her. 'Soon, my love, you will see my smile again,' she responded unconsciously, using a reserve of mental strength and clarity she didn't know she had. Another gentle kiss was placed on her forehead. What was that? The third time that night that someone had done that? Serenity was about to swear that the people she was surrounded by had a weird forehead fetish when she felt the hands from before lay upon her.

She would have jerked. She was sure that she would have jerked had she not been so completely consumed by the presence at her side. As it was, Serenity didn't even acknowledge that she felt the devil hands as they prodded and bandaged and examined her body.

"What did you find?" asked her warmth. It turned to pull away and stand up. With blind fear the princess reached out so that it would not leave her. A yelp escaped her lips before she could stop it.

The warmth hurriedly returned. "All right. All right, Usako. I am right here." A palm cupped her cheek in reassurance. Her fist didn't unclench from the tunic it had grabbed. Serenity whimpered in between quick breaths. "Shh, Usako. Shh." Her heart rate took its sweet time in slowing down and she cursed it. Within a few moments, the princess had managed to collect herself and calm down from her panic attack.

"As you might have already guessed, there has been quite a bit of psychological damage. Only a small part of her drugged state is due to the effect of being struck by the power of the Silver Imperium Crystal," a quiet voice answered the previous question. It faltered before beginning again. "The rest of it is due to a sedative that has been injected into her on several occasions. I can only assume that the queen ordered this each night to prevent Serenity from fighting the guards." She took a slow, shuddering breath at the thought of any mother treating her child so viciously. "Luckily, none of it is due to any serious infections from the dungeons."

The third and last voice in the room spoke up incredulously, "Which is amazing. From what Arian and Minara said, her cell was littered with dirt and festering bugs."

"Yes. Let us send more gratitude to the gods for allowing Arian to wash the princess before he left the prison. She did, unfortunately, pick up a fever from the poor treatment of her wounds. It is not life threatening, nor will it increase the damage of her injuries, however, it will make her quite weak." The owner of the official, medical voice twisted around to stare tenderly at the princess. "I wish there had been some way for us to help her before tonight. Had the queen not managed to effectively lock her away in her room during the day, I might have been able to tend to her wounds sooner. Maybe then she would not be as bad as she is now."

Sooner. Sooner. That word tumbled around Serenity's mind viciously. She vaguely recalled being locked behind bars five times and locked behind bedroom doors four times. Five nights, four days. Throughout all that time the word 'sooner' had plagued her. She had wished for help with all her might, wished that it would reach her sooner rather than later. At least it had reached her before it was too late.

"I think, for now, all she needs is a little tender, loving care. You would not mind, would you prince?"

"Never."

"Good," the voice said with finality. "I fear that the most time I can give her to recover is a day. Either Venus or myself must return to fetch her by tomorrow night. Any more time and the queen," the princess unconsciously cringed, "would begin to become suspicious."

Everyone nodded in understanding. "I will help you to the transporters, Mercury." The speaker turned to lead the way out of the room before he flipped his head to say, "I will return shortly, my liege." Then, the door closed.

…

He could feel her pain. The pain from her injuries, yes, but also the emotional pain she suffered under the hands of her mother. As he searched inside of her through their bond, he could barely make out more than a milky haze pervading every corner of her mind. Looking through her eyes he saw her cloudy blindness. Her skin flared with enhanced nerves, their sensitivity picking up the barest of touches. It was in her heart, however, that he found a creeping darkness.

Fighting against all of these smothering forces was hard and he eventually relented and exited her mind. The trauma was still too close at hand. He would have to wait a little while longer before he could brave her system once more and help her to heal from the inside out.

Endymion leaned towards her, his body slipping into a spooning position. "It will not be too much longer, sweetling. For now, let us rest," he whispered dipping his head until the tips of his bangs tickled her cheek.

The darkness swarmed in on him…

…and then the light cut through his vision once more.

When he awoke, his angel was lying next to him for the second time in his life. It was impossible to explain the pure, unadulterated joy that filled him upon seeing her golden head resting next to his. Her soft curves shaping his sheets. Her even breath wafting against his skin. A finger unfolded against her shoulder, feeling nothing but silk. 'What beauty lies in you.' It drifted over a purple blemish. 'And what pain she has caused.'

His eyelids clenched shut. "Is there a solution to this? A way out of the danger we have woven ourselves into?" His hand splayed open, the need for her overwhelming him. She shifted under it after hearing his whisper. For a moment, he indulged himself and drew her body to his. His arms enveloped and squeezed until he was assured that she was safe and until he had fulfilled his childish desire to hold her. Before pulling away, he rested a small kiss on her lips and mumbled, "Sleep tight, my love."

With weary limbs he slid away from the bed to freshen up. Ten minutes later, he was fully dressed and opening the bedroom door to leave. He sent one last longing look at the injured Serenity and then swept from the room.

…

Kunzite had been eager to walk with him. As he thought about it, he realized that the two of them had not spent very much time alone in quite a while.

"It is nice to know that even during times like these, I can pull you away from your duties long enough that you can indulge me in a walk around the castle," Endymion smiled through his talking.

White hair swung around broad shoulders as Kunzite sharply turned his head. He stared at his prince with incredulous eyes. "Endymion," he pronounced the name slowly and with purpose until the man in question dropped his smile and looked at him. "There is a woman in your bedroom right now who just spent five days being tortured by her own mother. That same woman has endured over four months of illegal rendezvous with a man she loves more than the people she was raised to rule. I need not add that that man also happens to have a deeper and more profound love for her than any I have every seen or heard of.

"The only thing on my mind right now is you," he finished in earnest.

Greatly moved by Kunzite's words, Endymion grabbed his shoulder in a brotherly fashion. "Thank you." Once a thick, respectful silence passed between them, the blue-eyed liege continued, "It seems I have enough problems for an entire army."

Both men lightened a bit at the comment and continued on the walk that they had abruptly stopped. Unfortunately, it would not last for very long. Only minutes later, a shot of panic sliced through Endymion strong enough to cause him to jolt in the middle of his conversation. Without any explanation to Kunzite but a fearful face and wide eyes, he suddenly turned and sprinted towards his quarters. The general was quick to follow.

…

"Get out of my son's bed this instant! How dare you!" the Queen of Earth raged. She watched as the new little thing the prince had bedded slipped off of the mattress and onto shaky feet. She also saw the bandages and the purple and black bruise occupying the girl's left cheek. Had Endymion taken pity on a peasant? A battered one, none-the-less. That did not dissipate the queen's anger. She continued towards the girl with a menacing prowl.

Using what little strength she could find, Serenity tried to keep herself standing and stable. It wasn't enough, however, and as she tried to take another step back from the queen she stumbled. Her hand reached out blindly behind her, knocking over a vase as she grasped the edge of the bedside table. It shattered on the ground sending a stream of water to pool at her feet.

Queen Terra's eyes bulged. "And now you break his things? Who do you think you are?" She reached out a regal hand to grab Serenity's shoulder. "I want you out of this palace immediately! Be happy that I do not send you to the dungeons!"

Just hearing that word sent a ripple down the princess's spine. No. Not Again. Never Again. Her energy quickly left her and she tumbled to the ground. A hand came up to cover the side of her face that the queen could still see. "I am sorry," she whimpered. "Just please do not put me back there. Do not lock me back in the dungeons." Her head dipped and she whispered once more, "Please."

Terra was shaken out of her tirade by the sight before her. Good lord, she had not meant for the girl to take her so seriously. She was just trying to get her out of the prince's room. It was routine for her to chase her son's one-night-stands out of the palace, never to return. Her confusion was cut off by a shout behind her. When she turned her head, she saw Endymion standing at the door with Kunzite. In seconds, he was instead kneeling by the blonde peasant's side.

She watched in utter disbelief as he laid comforting hands upon the girl and tried to sit her upright. "Usako," he fervently whispered. As he discovered tears running down her face, he turned to look up at his mother. "What did you do to her?"

"I was just trying to get her out of your room as always, dear. I did not intend to scare her so much but the second that I mentioned the dungeons she lost control."

Realization dawned on Endymion and he swiftly turned back to Serenity to gather her into his arms. "Oh gods," was about all that he could manage to get out of his mouth. "Shh, Usako. She did not mean it. She will not take you back there, I swear. Shh," he soothed while petting her hair and stroking her back.

Not to say that the scene wasn't touching, but the queen needed some answers, "Endymion." The tone made him turn his attention from Serenity against his will.

"Yes, mother?"

With careful eyes she watched him. Something had changed in him. She had noticed it a few months before, but thought it was a passing thing. And since he was often away in battle because of the rise of the corrupted ones, she hadn't seen much of him since. Apparently, the change was not temporary for she could still see the glint in his eye and feel the desperation in his heart. "Why are you harboring a criminal?"

"A criminal, mother?"

"Yes. Initially I had thought that she was one of your women since I found her in your bed, but then, when she stood, I noticed her injuries. Then there is also the fact that she was once in a jail cell," Terra finished with a touch of sarcasm.

Endymion couldn't help his eyes from narrowing. No one insulted his Usako, not even his mother. Then, he remembered his place and the fact that, at least for the moment, his mother did not know whom Serenity really was. 'Well, it will not be the first time you have had to lie to your mother,' he thought before he answered the monarch. "She was in need of assistance. Her imprisonment was the result of an error that I told her I would help to correct."

Though she wasn't completely satisfied with the answer, she let the issue drop. "We will just have to ignore the fact that you also felt the need to keep her in your personal rooms, right son?" the queen jabbed as she bent down to help the young woman up and off of the floor. She didn't have a cold heart and could very well understand sympathy towards a wrongfully imprisoned person. What she would never get used to was the number of women that cycled through her little boy's room.

It was when the blonde shifted a little as she was being lifted up that Queen Terra learned the truth.

She was quick to stop the girl in her place and even quicker in preventing her son from intervening. With a deft hand she slid the loose collar of Serenity's dress downward in order to imitate what it had done a moment before naturally. It had not been a trick of the light. Her eyes had not betrayed her. There, just above the blonde's breast, was the tattooed symbol of Earth.

Terra turned grave eyes on her son. "Let me see yours." Her voice held such finality that Endymion could be sure she had never been more disappointed in him.

It was impossible to disobey the command. Despite the prince's deep fear at her reaction to what she would see, he began to unlace his tunic. 'She still does not know that it is Serenity, prince. She is not expecting-'

'I know,' Endymion interrupted Kunzite with a grim tone. His eyes were shadowed now. The only thing that kept him anchored as his world crashed into pieces around him was the woman who had managed to tamp down her fear and pain in order to send him a solid, clear, empathic signal of pure love. A moment later, he swallowed the lump in his throat and bared the left side of his chest to the queen before him.

Shock. Confusion. Disbelief.

Terra's heart constricted and she pressed a fist to it in pain. The edges of her vision blurred white as if to prepare for a faint, but she held it off valiantly. With sluggish limbs she made the few steps to her son and used one hand to grasp his right shoulder for balance. The other she held out in order to trace the pattern emblazoned on Endymion's chest. Her delicate fingers slipped down with the top curve of the shape and then slipped further to complete the larger curve underneath. Wonder.

"A crescent moon," her small voice breathed.

Hands shaking, she lifted her eyes to her son's. "It is a crescent moon, Endymion." He just continued to look down at her in response. Her head turned to take a long look at the blonde. "She is the Moon Princess? The heir to the Silver Alliance?" Serenity couldn't help from fidgeting under the scrutiny. Normally, she would have held her head high with respect for her position, but she had not the will nor the energy to do so anymore.

Without waiting for an answer, Terra returned her attention to the son still held in her grasp. "You bonded with a Serenity?" Her eyes were opened wide in bafflement. She feared that they would remain that way forever.

Endymion dropped his chin to show assent. He had been fearing this discovery since the day that he met the princess, yet now that it was upon him, he did not know what to do. His mother tore into his head. 'I do not understand!' The thought was accompanied with her voice that screamed the same phrase aloud.

He laid a hand on top of the one she still had clasped to his tunic. "She fell from the sky, mother. She fell into my arms and wrapped her wings around my heart. That is all that you need to understand."

There were many more long moments of silence following that statement. Out of the corner of his eye, Kunzite noticed Serenity shaking with the strain of keeping herself erect. It had been an added burden for her to focus all of her mental and emotional attentions on soothing Endymion. The prince apparently noticed, or rather felt, the shivers as well and reached out with his free arm towards the girl.

Though the queen understood what was happening, she did not let go of her son so that he might move to the princess's side. He turned pleading eyes to her. She stared back, her eyes showing her fear that if she let him go then he would be lost to her forever.

"I am your son," he intoned tenderly. "I will always be with you." Her gaze smiled at him while he paused. "Let me be with her, too." Such strong emotion swam inside him when he spoke that had the queen not been an empath, she still could have picked up on it.

'What love you feel. Does it not scare you?'

'Everyday,' he replied telepathically.

She was about to speak again when he interrupted her. 'But I would die without it.' Serenity curled slightly forward as a wave of tension passed through her. When Endymion glimpsed this, he tightened his hold on the queen.

"Please," he begged aloud. Worry was quickly mixing with fear inside of him. Terra relented and silently drew away from him. She could prevent nothing that had such a complexity of emotion surrounding it.

Immediately after he was free, Endymion leapt for Serenity. His arms encircled her just as her last ounce of will escaped her. "Mamo-chan," she exhaled. He picked her up carefully, only to deposit her on the bed a few feet away. As she sank into the softness, he let his lips momentarily caress her cheek. Backing away to sit next to her, his knuckles reached out to stroke her temple.

Queen Terra was surprised to see him then turn to her and motion her forward. She obeyed cautiously, as if she were the child and he the parent. With a gentle smile, Endymion caught her hand in his. "Mother, I would like you to meet Princess Serenity." His eyes fell on the princess as he spoke. "Usako, I would like to introduce to you my mother, Queen Terra of Earth."

Both women looked at each other. Fires of battles erupted in them, but soon both of them were placated. Serenity would not take him from home. Terra would not keep him from Serenity. The Moon Princess clasped the queen's free hand in her own and said, "It is an honor to finally meet you." Terra simply nodded with a warm grin. She didn't trust that her voice would work right then. Her gaze drifted to include her son and she stared down at the two young ones, a hand of each held in her own.

It was a few minutes before she spoke again. "I cannot believe this," she said in wonder. Terra felt worry ignite in her son and squeezed his hand in reassurance. "Do not worry, dear. I am not quite sure what I am going to do with this situation, but I am not completely against this union."

Endymion smiled warmly up at her. "Thank you for that."

She turned to look at the guard at the door. "Kunzite, I hate to send you off with such menial tasks, but would you mind bringing us some tea? And could you please inform Hether that something important came up and I need her to cancel my meetings for the day?" Kunzite immediately consented, bowing his head in respect before leaving the room.

End Chapter 15

……….

One queen down…one queen to go. Next time (and still being written): Serenity returns home secretly with Venus's help, or does she? A shadow in the wings overhears some damaging information. Will the princess's secret finally reach the ears of her mother?

Please send ANY comments to me, Sereko.


	17. Chapter 16

Affair by Sereko

Here it is! Hope you enjoy! Beware of grammar/spelling errors – I was eager to get this out as soon as I finished, so I haven't had time to proofread!

AUTHOR'S NOTE: For some unknown reason, has changed their formatting or something, none of my scene breaks (which I delineate by use of dashes) are showing up when I post a story. To solve this problem, I've resorted to using periods in the hopes that they will show up…I apologize if this is distracting. Believe me, it is not how I initially intended the story to be viewed.

In response to _ssteph_'s review: Endy was not affected by Serenity's injuries because of the sedative that she was given. It is also because of the different way in which each is affected by their bond (which is explained in a later chapter). I apologize for any other inconsistencies. I have been dabbling in this story for almost 5 years now, writing little bits here and there. It has had several evolutions that I have been remiss in keeping complete track of them.

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters associated with the story. I merely use Naoko Takeuchi's genius as a starting point for my own storytelling.

…………

Chapter 16

…………

An hour later found the queen seated in a chair, Endymion in another one at her side, with Serenity still lying in the bed. It had taken some prodding, but Terra had managed to get them to tell her the initial details of how they met and their other meetings up until that point.

She was surprised to find her son so enraptured with the young woman. However, she supposed she should have expected it since he had obviously cared enough to bond with her. Even after she had successfully convinced him to sit in a chair and not on the edge of the bed, he continued to hold Serenity's hand. It was as if neither could bear to be separated, even just a little. Throughout their conversation, Endymion had unconsciously stroked his thumb across the woman's knuckles. She was still a little shaky from the events of earlier and he was calming her. Terra knew for a fact that he wasn't even aware that he was doing it.

For her part, Serenity had been very cordial. She was a genuinely caring person who spoke in the assured way that one with power did while keeping a soft lilt in her voice that belied her sweet nature. If not for the discoloration on one side of her face, Terra could see how strikingly beautiful she was. Her pale features in addition to her shimmering gold hair created quite the picture. The intensity of her ocean-blue eyes was what showed her strength. Terra could sense, even without trying, the powerful aura that surrounded the princess. From what she could pick up from her son, however, this was apparently not all of her potential. Something had happened to the girl, that much was obvious. It had been bad enough to taint her aura, though, and that was an awfully difficult thing to do.

Which brought the queen back to the present.

She reached out and carefully touched Serenity' injured cheek. "Now you must tell me how this happened." The blonde cringed away from her. Both she and Endymion didn't say anything for some time. Terra frowned in concern. She was about to say something more when her son's voice stopped her. She turned left to look at his bowed head.

"It was her mother," he said in a dark voice. Fury boiled in him quickly and with such intensity that the queen gasped.

"Endymion." Her hand shakily reached toward him. "That cannot be."

When he lifted his head, she saw that his eyes had turned almost black. "The Queen does not appreciate her daughter in even the most minute understanding of the word. She does not love her. She barely treats her like a human being."

Terra's eyes widened. "She beats her?"

Endymion sharply shook his head once. "No. Slapped her a few times, maybe. Usually she is just rude and degrading in speech, not manner."

"Well then…" the brown-haired royal trailed off as she returned her attention to the woman in question. Her shaking had increased. Endymion was now firmly clasping the hand he had in his grip. Terra could feel the power that he was sending the woman through that connection. "How did this happen?"

"I was supposed to be married," came a shaky reply from Serenity. She had turned her head away from her companions, but Terra could still hear the tears in her voice. "I ran away instead."

"You ran to me," Endymion spoke up. His lover tugged on their joined hands and he was quick to move and sit by her side. She turned to face him and gave him a watery smile that made Terra's heart ache.

"I love you too much. I could not have possibly lived while married to another man." The prince leaned forward to press a chaste kiss against her lips. When he sat up again, he looked to his mother.

"When Serenity returned home after having ruined her own wedding, the Queen was less than pleased," he explained.

"Why on Earth did you return home? Did you not know that she would be angry?" Terra questioned the princess.

"Of course I knew she would be angry. But I had little choice. I could not hide away on Earth forever having an illicit affair with a man I would never have rights to." Serenity closed her eyes for a painful moment. Endymion fed her more of his energy and her body quickly relaxed.

The queen stood anxiously and tried to hold herself back from pacing. "What did she do, Serenity? What did she do to you?" She stared down at the girl with a boring gaze.

Serenity turned away again, closing her eyes, and Endymion was forced to answer for her. "For five days, when night approached and the members of court left, the Queen had Usako locked in a dirty jail cell and shackled to the wall." Terra noticed that her son slipped into using Serenity's pet name as he spoke with unrestrained rage. "To prevent her from fighting off her guards, Usako was injected every night with a strong sedative." He couldn't continue passed the sharp intake of breath he heard coming from his mother, so Kunzite stepped up from the back of the room and finished for him.

"The bruise on her cheek is from when the Queen slapped her rather harshly the first time that she saw Serenity after the failed wedding. Her shaking is from the effects of the Silver Crystal blast that her mother shot at her shortly thereafter."

"Oh, heavenly Elysium." Terra had frozen in shock halfway through Endymion's explanation. One of her hands was pressed against her mouth, horror the only thing on her mind. "Good gods, this cannot be true."

Neither youth responded. They were both turned away, almost as if they were ashamed. The crescent mark on Serenity's forehead flickered weakly as Endymion continued to send her his own strength. Terra had never noticed the mark before. She assumed that Serenity had some way of concealing the royal brand just as her son was able to hide his own.

…..

An hour or two later, they had moved past the tragic portion of the evening and were relaxing by the fire. Serenity was comfortably placed on a lounge chair, after fighting with and then convincing Endymion that she was fine. Her strength had rapidly increased because of his help. She wished that the ache deep in her muscles would also fade. She was sick of being sick.

Queen Terra moved forward in her chair. After she had heard the full story of her son's relationship, she had gone into full-blown fix-it mode. Every now and again she would lean in and share some plan on how they could make everything work out. She was convinced that all of these plans were excellent, though, in fact, none of them were. Perhaps it was the cognac she had added to her tea that had loosened her tongue. Endymion simply smiled because she cared enough to even try and find a solution to their impossible problem.

And she was at it again.

"I will speak with the queen. The Moon may be our enemy, but the rest of the Silver Alliance has been trying to bring us back into the loop. We have many useful resources on our green planet. I will do my very best to make Queen Serenity see the wisdom in the rest of the system's perspective of us. She has profit to gain here. Even more since she rules our satellite and will have the easiest access for trade. Hopefully, she will be shocked enough by my initial communication that she will not be able to form any objecting opinions. It is then, when I have her on the hook, that I will worm in the two of you. 'So, I heard about your daughter's failed marriage. Pity about the boy having no honor and dropping her for the first pretty red-head to cross his path. Those Martians and their one-track minds. Amazing his father allows him to continue on as heir.' Best to thoroughly juice the wheels with fake gossip, taking the blame away from her so that she will be more inclined to agree," the queen said as an aside to Serenity and Endymion.

"Then I will continue on, 'Speaking of marriage…I've been trying to get my boy hitched for quite some time. Etc, etc, etc.' You get the point. With a little luck, she will jump on board and we will get to some negotiations."

"I dare say that it will take a lot more than a little luck, mother," Endymion cut in.

His mother shrugged him off. She was on an optimistic roll and couldn't be stopped. "You two will be married in less than a month. Then, not only will you have each other, but the Earth will be put back into play as an economic power." She stopped to take a breath. The young pair next to her simultaneously thought that it was the first one they'd seen her take in at least ten minutes. "If Serenity stays true to personal tradition, then she will have her daughter pregnant in five years and divorced in six. That will not only give the two of you a good many years as husband and wife, but it will prevent the queen from chopping off Serenity's head when she returns home shortly."

The thought of ever returning home and being a victim of her mother's brutality again had Serenity shivering. The subsequent thought of ever using Endymion to simply produce an heir was making her queasy. That was it? Their future was six years of love and happiness followed by a fatherless child and the rest of their lives wallowing in lonely torment?

"Not a bad bargain considering that if you continue on as you are then you may bring the entire Alliance crashing down. This plan may even save the Earth's failing economic stability." The queen sat back in her chair with a small grin upon her face. Content. Self-satisfied. Convinced of the brilliance of her scheme.

It was a long time before anything was said. Queen Terra didn't seem to mind that there was no immediate approval of her plan. She sat with the fire in the hearth at her back, warming her body in soft waves. A half empty teacup rested delicately in one hand.

Endymion could stomach the silence no longer. "You have forgotten one thing, mother."

Terra's head rose in question. "What is that?" she asked while mentally recalling her plan and trying to find any holes in it.

His eyes were penetrating, sinking into her bones. "I love her."

The queen sucked in a breath. Then her chin fell against her chest. "Of course you do," she whispered brokenly. "That is the problem."

…..

"Arian." Mercury's voice flowed to him from the entrance of his guest room. Despite his downtrodden mood, the sound made him smile. He realized that she had been doing that to him quite a lot lately. When she moved to him and brushed his arm to inform him of her closeness, he reached up and clasped her hand in his.

"Ami-chan," he said sweetly. She looked down at him startled. In all the time that she had known him, she wasn't sure that he had ever held her hand. Most certainly not in the intimate way that he was at that moment. "You were brought to life for me."

The grin on his face warned her that he was playing. "Then why does my mother say the same thing?" she replied in all seriousness.

"Because she does not know the truth," he found himself saying.

Mercury sat on a stool by his feet, her hand having been dropped from his. She was surprised to feel herself sad from the loss. She turned her head to gaze out the window beside her and blamed it on thoughts of her princess that she eventually asked, "And what might that be?" What had started as a jest was swiftly changing course and moving into something more.

His eyes met hers. The power behind them was enough that she didn't need to hear him speak to know his answer. A few fingers tentatively reached out and ran themselves through her ocean blue hair.

Arian was abruptly shaken from his stupor by Venus walking through the door. He retracted his hand and spoke quickly, "No knock? That is awfully rude of you, Venus."

She ignored him and flopped down on his bed with a huff. "If I thought that you were going to be engaged in anything even remotely interesting, then I might not only have knocked, but I would have announced myself as well." Arian and Mercury shared a look. Venus's head popped up suddenly and they were afraid for a moment that her powers as the senshi of love had caught onto something between them. They breathed in relief when her head plopped back down.

Mercury reluctantly left Arian's side to sit on the edge of the bed near her leader. "What is wrong, captain?"

"I am certain that you do not need me to answer that, Ami-chan." Her eyes closed after glaring up at Mercury in disappointment.

The blue senshi wisely chose to ignore her friend. "And what about the princess has you in such a state? Are we not picking her up tonight?"

"That alone is cause for worry. We have seen what the queen can do. It can only be worse now that we have helped her daughter escape from the dungeons." Venus laid the back of one hand against her forehead. The days seemed to be getting longer. She wasn't sure how much more worry and pain and fear she could handle.

"We had to," Arian distantly replied. He said it without removing his gaze from the Earth outside his window or his chin from its perch on his hand.

Both girls agreed. There was no way they could have allowed Serenity to suffer one more night under such treatment. "I am not sure that the queen will see our desire to keep her daughter alive in the same light," Mercury said with more than a little hint of wryness.

"We must force her to see. Tell her that we thought only to prolong Serenity's torment by keeping her conscious and relatively responsive, or something to those ends." Arian ran an angry hand through his hair. "I hate to cater to Queen Serenity's twisted way of thinking, but if it is the only way, then it is the only way."

And so it was.

…..

It had been almost impossible for her to leave Earth. There was less and less of a reason for her to return to her tyrant of a mother. What was she to look forward to but more punishment? If only she could hide out on Earth, secreted away from the horrors that awaited her on the Moon. Endymion suggested it. When Venus and Kunzite walked into his room at midnight, he could barely bring himself to accept their reason for coming.

His mother had tried to help him. She laid a hand on his shoulder and whispered that everything would be all right. The prince shrugged her off and assisted Serenity when she pushed off of the couch to stand. Before her senshi was able to come over and take his place, he wrapped his arms around her and crushed her body to his. "Stay," he whispered desperately in her ear. "Let me protect you here."

Serenity lifted her arms around his neck and held on tightly for a moment. Then, she pulled away enough so that she could see his face. "I wish I could, Mamo-chan. I wish we could forget everything and run away together to some place where no one would find us." She let the backs of her fingers run along his cheek. "But that cannot be for us-"

"Why not!" He grabbed her hand urgently. "Please. Do not go back to her."

"I must. We cannot live as fugitives. We cannot shirk the responsibilities that we have to our people. A life of running and hiding is not one for us, my love." She leaned forward and gave him a tender kiss.

He rested his forehead against hers. "I just do not want to see more harm come to you. I do not think that I could bare it."

Serenity sighed. "Unfortunately, I cannot promise that I will be fine if you let me go. But, I can promise that I will see you again." She sent him an encouraging smile before kissing him once more. Then, she pulled away and turned to Venus's assistance. With one last glance at her lover and a nod to the queen, the two swept from the room with Kunzite as their escort.

…..

Mars has been running her routine hall check, making sure the guards and captains didn't let anything slip by them, when she heard whispered voices coming from the direction of the transporter room. She was immediately suspicious. With light steps, she turned a corner to get closer to the voices and peaked into the room to see who it was.

She whipped back around so fast that she bruised her shoulder on the cold marble wall behind her. "Princess," she exhaled. Unashamedly, she eavesdropped on the slowly moving figures ahead of her.

…

Venus held a hand to the small of her princess's back, leading her out of the room and into the empty halls. The younger woman was strangely quiet, but in light of recent events, she didn't know how to break her mood.

"I am sorry," Serenity murmured.

The senshi didn't need to ask what her liege was talking about. She knew how the princess's mind worked, knew that she felt guilty for revealing her affair with Kunzite. That seemed so long ago, now.

Venus glanced at the floor, slowing and then stopping only yards away from the transporter room. She couldn't sense any guards near by, which should have set up an alarm in her, and since Mars had the psychic ability to cloak her presence, she couldn't sense her either. "You need not apologize. You did what you thought was right. Though I was not planning on things occurring quite how they did, I can understand what you were thinking."

Serenity looked up, then using her thumb, she wiped away a trailing tear on Venus's cheek. Mars bit her lip, the childish side of her desperately wanted to know what had moved her commander to tears. She clenched a fist, hoping that the two would continue. "It was not my place," the princess admitted. "Though, I am foolish enough to believe I had the right. I apologize again. At least you are not alone. I am not alone. We have each other."

"Yes, we do." Venus let out a sly, playful smile. "And our men." She turned her head sharply to look behind them.

"Minara? Is everything all right?" Serenity asked, concerned.  
The senshi shook her head. She could have sworn she sensed someone for just a second, but then it was gone. "Yes, I am fine. Let us finish this conversation somewhere more private," she suggested.

…

Mars was outraged. 'Men? MEN!' It all started to make sense to her. 'Of course, that little tramp was visiting her lover. Why did I not see this before? It is so obvious now. She is cheating on my dear brother!' Her anger flared up past the boundaries of her cloaking abilities. She hurriedly tamped them down when she noticed Venus stiffen.

'She will not get away with this.'

…

"You witch!" They heard the call a few feet away. In fear, they watched as a form came out from a hidden alcove in the wall. Sailor Mars moved into view with steam coming out of her ears. Venus instinctively stepped in front of her princess for protection. "Do not try to hide that wench from me, captain!"

Venus straightened her stance. "You dare to refer to the princess in such a way?"

"It is true!" Mars advanced on them until she was only a few feet away. "I heard you talking! Another man!" she screamed loud enough that Serenity flinched back. Dread began to slip through her system. The worst had happened. Someone had found out. Someone who did not care about her or Endymion, who would not keep her secret from her mother. "How dare you treat my brother this way, you slut! I will not stand for it! It was bad enough that you left him standing like a fool at your wedding…but…but to run off to have an affair with another man! UNFORGIVEABLE!"

The fire senshi was in full rage, now. Venus had only seen her like this a few times and the hate and anger that radiated off of her was almost palpable. Little flames began to lick at the young woman's fingers. Her eyes had already shifted from purple to a blazing red. She continued to scream for several more minutes. The princess has shrunk back partly in fear and partly because she still wasn't fully recovered. Venus did her best to shield her from Mars's view, but she could not shield her from the vicious words that were being hurled at her.

"Sailor Mars! You will desist with this tirade immediately!"

Her commander's words did nothing. She blew past them as she had twice before when the blonde had tried to interrupt her. There was no stopping her now. "Where is he! Where is this lover you hide away?" Mars stalked back towards the transporter room. Serenity's eyes widened.

"No!" she called out and ran after the red senshi. Venus followed on her heels. They both stopped dead when they saw Mars staring at something in shock. They followed her gaze to see that the once decrepit teleporter for Earth was still shimmering from its recent use.

Mars spun around in alarm. "EARTH!" She ran to the hallway, flinging out her arms to block the two blonde's escape. "GUARDS!"

End Chapter 16

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Dun, dun…DUN! The beginning of the end! (By the way, I wanted to apologize for the corny scene when Serenity is being taken back to the Moon. It was not originally in this chapter, but I felt that Endymion would have put up at least a little bit of a fight to keep Serenity away from her mother…and so, I added it.)

Thank you very much to all who have reviewed and sent me wonderfully encouraging e-mails. You are what get me to continue writing, no matter how strong my writer's block!

Please send any comments to me, Sereko.


	18. Chapter 17

Affair by Sereko

I promised several very nice fans that this would be out two weeks ago. I apologize! If any of you are Harry Potter fans, then you can understand that for a while all that mattered was the Half-Blood Prince. ;) But, I'm back now and out of Hogwarts. I appreciate all of the wonderful e-mails that I got. Thank you all so much!

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters associated with the story. I merely use Naoko Takeuchi's genius as a starting point for my own storytelling.

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Chapter 17

…………

Again, she stood in front of her mother. In the pit of her stomach, Serenity knew that this wouldn't be the last time. The door had been closed on her mother's study only moments before…with the guards inside. Mars practically hummed with rage next to her as they stood in front of the queen's desk. Venus was poised at attention behind her, there for protocol and not as a friend.

"What is the meaning of all this, Sailor Mars? It had best be important, or I assure you that waking me up this late at night will have consequences."

Expressing a calm that didn't exist within her, the senshi stepped forward and said, "I have come to understand that the princess has been having an affair," she paused for dramatic effect and looked towards the woman in question, "with a man from Earth."

Queen Serenity straightened in her chair. "Excuse me?"

"You heard correctly, your highness. She has been cheating on my brother with some playboy from Earth." She was haughty enough to flip her hair.

The matriarch across from her tilted her head to the side in question. "You have come to me before with an accusation against my daughter." She schooled herself off of Mars and paused for effect. "It proved to be false."

"Well, yes, I know, your highness." Mars fought the embarrassment down that was struggling to paint her cheeks. "But I just witnessed firsthand both the princess and commander Sailor Venus using the Terran transporter."

"You also witnessed your last accusation firsthand."

The black-haired warrior ducked her head. "I realize that, Excellency. I know that my word may not seem wholly trustworthy at the moment. However, I assure you, that if you were to visit the transporter room at this very moment, you would see as I have that the Terran machine is still shining from use." Queen Serenity squinted her eyes. While she was always quick to judge her daughter as a troublemaker, she felt she needed proof this time. With a wave of her hand and a quick command, she sent one of the stoic guards at her door to check the transporter room.

As they waited, the queen turned to her daughter. "I am sure that you know, my dear, that if Mars's claim turns out to be right, there will be no salvation for you."

Serenity shifted her gaze from the detail on the corner of her mother's holographic projector to the woman, herself. Her expression was defiant and bored. "You need not inform me of such an obvious thing, mother." Venus was amazed at how composed her liege was, how well she was handling the fact that in moments her life would be over.

…

Mercury's smile was bright. Arian was poking fun at her again, as he was want to do. She had been relieved of her duty by Jupiter just a few angles of Earth prior. After making a quick stop at the kitchens for a fruit snack, she continued down the halls towards her chambers. She was torn from her complacency when a hand shot out from one of the hallways to her right and clasped her wrist.

Alert rippled through her system.

Without a second thought, she spun around behind her attacker, pressing him into the wall and twisting his arm painfully behind his back. Before she could demand who the man was and what he thought he was doing, she heard an all too familiar chuckle. It was more a wheeze really, an embarrassed wheeze. "Well, that was not how that was supposed to go."

She immediately let go of her prisoner. "Prince!" she called out in exasperation. "Honestly, I could have killed you!" Her exaggeration had Arian smirking.

"No," he began slowly as he turned to face her and took slow steps into her personal space. "I had no worries of that." He reached out gently for her hand and brought it to his mouth. The gentile kiss he gave her was accentuated by a little nibble on her knuckles at the end. "As always, it is a pleasure to see you. And the name is Arian." The seductive smirk growing on his face made her blush more than his forward attitude had.

"What do you want with me at this hour, your highness?" She emphasized the title with the same rebellious spirit of her commander.

Arian laughed in the jovial way he had and laced his fingers with hers. "I know that it is late, but I checked your schedule and I could not wait until morning." With a tug he moved her towards the open archway at the end of the hall. "Come on, I want to show you something."

Mercury obliged him. She couldn't help it. It was too much fun to tease and be teased. She was not used to being courted or being of any interest to a member of the opposite sex. She was a senshi and she took that duty seriously. Some of the others took on nightly lovers, but she refused to be distracted even for a moment. Venus had been well known for her many affairs. It was almost hard for Mercury to believe that the blonde had settled on one man. Had she not seem them together with her own eyes, she would never have believed that the Venusian could have fallen in love.

In any case, she was not the flirtatious type. It wasn't that she didn't feel lonely sometimes and desire the company of a man. But she couldn't bring herself to have a one-night stand and little else was allowed for a senshi. They were not to have significant others. The queen had made that clear when they had reached the age that such things would enter their minds. No distractions. They were able to "alleviate" their desires, but that was all. The queen considered pent-up tension just as distracting as a lover. Mercury had had no problem obeying the rules. When she was placed next to beauties such as Venus, Mars, and Neptune, to name a few, she was never solicited by men. She had learned to be content without companionship, finding it instead with her equally lonely liege. Serenity had shown her how to cope when they had nothing but their duties to lean on.

Arian was a breath of fresh air. She had known him since they were children. Mercury had been standing next to the princess when Mars had stepped off the shuttle with her brother – had watched the look in his eyes when he first saw Serenity. It was a precious crush. For a while, she thought that Serenity would reciprocate. She had tried. Mercury still remembered the day that the two had kissed. Her fourteen-year-old charge had burst into the library where she was reading with an almost desperate look on her face. As was the way of young teens, she blurted out every second of her encounter with Arian in one big, long sentence. Mercury had been both excited and bemused. Until Serenity began to cry. The senshi of water hadn't understood it at the time. Now, she did. Now, she could see that the princess had been upset and confused because regardless of how close she felt to Arian, he was not the man who completed her. He was not Endymion.

Mercury took a sideways glance at her companion. He was leading her through the East Gardens as a short-cut to the academic wing, or more precisely, the library. A flutter went through her when he caught her gaze and squeezed her hand. Maybe Arian could be her Endymion. She giggled inwardly at the thought. Wasn't she just turning into a hopeless romantic? Serenity would have been proud.

Now, many moments later, the beautiful first-edition copy of her favorite book _Refraction in the Eyes of Gods_ sat forgotten on the large oak table at her side. After being thoroughly awed and touched by Arian's gift to her, they had sat down in the plush couches placed in the center of the room and enjoyed an early breakfast. Arian was teasing her yet again and she was so happy that the smile that overtook her was big enough to break out her dimples.

Arian's heart nearly stopped. He sat up suddenly and leaned into the woman next to him. With the tender pad of his index finger, he traced the impression of one of her dimples. "It has been so long since you have smiled so fully, so honestly. I had forgotten that you had dimples." Mercury's smile faded under his touch. It was a sad truth, but there had not been much for her to be happy about for a long while.

"I have you to thank for that, Arian," she whispered.

He looked into the drowning blue of her eyes. "Finally, you have said my name." They drew unconsciously closer. "I love the sound of it coming off of your tongue." His gaze dropped to her mouth.

Heart beating a mile a minute with nerves, Mercury cautiously moved into the circle of his body. Their breaths were mixing now and she could see that a glaze had formed over his eyes. In the last second before his lips pressed against hers, she felt something inside of her click into place. She had finally found peace.

The Martian prince had to try very hard not to devour her as he had been itching to do for weeks. He wanted this to be simple and sweet, not something that would scare her away. Only seconds passed before he leaned back from her. She looked so small beneath him, so petite where she usually seemed so imposing as a guardian warrior.

Her breath was shuddering, a shiver flying up her spine. Mercury closed her eyes and leaned in until their foreheads met. She couldn't look at him when she said what she was about to say. He brought a hand to her hair and smoothed the blue strands through his fingers. "That was wonderful," she admitted blissfully. With a deep breath, she gathered up all her courage. "A perfect first kiss."

Arian jerked back to stare at her with shocked eyes. "First? That cannot be true."

She blushed. "I do not draw very much male attention, especially when standing next to the breathtaking princess."

The man in front of her cocked his head to the side. He reached out and cupped both of her cheeks so that he could bring her face closer to his once more. "You are beautiful, Amile. So beautiful, you take my breath away every time I lay eyes on you." Without a moment of hesitation, he caught her lips again. He wouldn't let the moisture he saw misting her eyes form into tears. This time the kiss was slow and sensuous. He leaned his head to the side to get a better angle and deepen the connection.

…

The guards had confirmed Mars's story. The queen was now staring out her window into the gardens below. Her back was turned to the other occupants in the room and while Princess Serenity couldn't get a good look at her reaction, she knew that the older woman would attack in her slow, devious way soon enough.

"I suppose I should be impressed that you were smart enough to flee to Earth and not one of the other planets that I would have searched. Also, you seem to possess an amazing ability to cover your tracks. I sent men out to check the transporter room immediately after you ran from me that night so many months ago. There should have been evidence of its use, just as there was today." Venus turned her head to hide her smirk. The queen wouldn't have found anything because Serenity had disappeared from the Moon without the help of a transporter. She wasn't about to let that little bit of information slip, though. "I also suppose a certain amount of luck was on your side, since the Alliance has been in-between meetings and we have not had to use the transporter room all that often over the past year. Otherwise, again, I am sure we would have noticed that the Terran machine was not hiding dusty in the back of the room."

Serenity didn't acknowledge these speculations with anything. She had fazed her mother out, something she had become increasingly good at over the years. Her mind was quickly running through all the worst-case scenarios of how this meeting with her mother could end. It didn't take her long to realize that even if her mother and Sailor Mars and the five guards posted at various points around the room didn't find out about Endymion, there would still be a high price to pay for being caught visiting Earth.

While the queen continued her lazy observations and sarcastic remarks, her daughter fed the telepathic link she shared with Sailor Mercury. Despite the fact that all Lunarians had telepathic ability, most connections were weak and brittle from lack of use. It was always easier, faster and less taxing to contact close friends or family members with whom one also shared a strong emotional bond. So, in this restricted time when Queen Serenity would easily be able to pick up any telepathy that the younger Serenity used, the latter had to fall back on her dearest friend whose very strong relationship with her allowed for a seamless telepathic conversation. If the queen did catch anything, she would assume that it was merely Princess Serenity's natural powers that were setting off her radar.

…

They were cuddled on the couch, content with their newfound intimacy. The open windows let in a generous amount of early morning light as well as a crisp blast of fresh air with the wind every once and a while. She was partly on top of him, lying in between his legs while she caught up on _Intergalactic Law_. He dozed underneath her, his arms wrapped loosely around her waist. When he occasionally roused from his nap, he read over her shoulder and teased her about the futility of what she was doing.

"You will never find anything," he breathed out while moving his head into a more comfortable place on the pillow.

"Oh, shush!" she reprimanded and shifted in his arms. She was worried that her weight would stop the blood flow to his legs and he'd get that annoying prickly sensation that she hated so much. "Are you sure that you are comfortable?" she asked timidly.

Arian tightened the arms he had around her and pulled Mercury up a little so that she was more lying across his chest and less sitting in between his legs. "Perfect," he said succinctly into her ear and pressed a kiss onto her hair. He didn't think he'd mention the fact that she weighed about as much as his pinky finger. Somehow, he knew that wouldn't ease her impractical worries.

It was a few moments later when he felt her tense up. She eased into a sitting position, a look of concentration on her face, and he followed her. "What is it?"

"Serenity," was all she said.

The princess had already announced herself and told Mercury that she needed a favor. 'I need you to get Arian for me. I would have contacted him directly, but I am with my mother right now and cannot have her know of what I am doing. My connection to you is the strongest one that I have in the area, even stronger than mine with Arian. I cannot be detected.'

The fact that the princess had emphasized twice that she could not be caught communicating telepathically worried the blue senshi. /'What is wrong, princess?'/

For a while there was no response, as if something were happening on Serenity's side that she had to pay full attention to. /'It has begun, Ami-chan. Sailor Mars caught me and Minara coming through the Terran transporter. We are in my mother's office now having, what I am sure will be, the most damaging conversation of my life.'/

Mercury gasped. She put a hand to her mouth and turned to face her companion. He looked worried but didn't ask her to explain. He just brought a hand to her back in support. /'Does she know it all?'/

Again there was a wait before the princess replied. /'No.'/ Mercury's sigh of relief was cut short. /'I am afraid that she will very shortly, however. All she knows now is that I have been visiting Earth. She does not know of Endymion. Mars unfortunately overheard me talking to Minara about men and now she is suspicious. I am sure it will not take long for her to explain to my mother that she thinks I have been having an affair. From there, who knows what will happen.'/

/'What do you need me to do?'/ Mercury had stood up and was now pacing in front of the Martian prince. To see the usually calm senshi panic was making him nervous. What had happened to Serenity?

/'I need you to get a hold of Arian.'/

/ 'That is easy. He is right in front of me,'/ the ice senshi immediately responded.

Serenity paused. /'Really? So early? It is only a little past five.'/

Mercury blushed, looking away from Arian's inquiring face. /'We do not have time for that conversation right now, princess. What would you like me to tell him?'/

/'I wish we did have time. It sounds like you have some juicy gossip.'/ Serenity couldn't help the warmth that flooded her when she thought of her two best friends together. If only the circumstances were better. /'I need him to go home. The Terran transporter here has surely been disabled by now and, anyway, it would be too dangerous for him to use. I need him use the one on Mars.'/

"She wants you to go to Earth," Mercury said the words in disappointment. It seemed that her moment for peace and happiness was as fleeting as everyone else's these days. She put up her hand in a stopping gesture before he could ask any questions.

/'Tell him I am sorry for the trouble, but someone has to warn Endymion. He has to know that my mother has found out about my trips to Earth…and that she will probably soon find out everything else. He needs to be prepared.'/ There was break for a moment. Serenity had to make sure that her face was showing none of the emotion that she was feeling or the queen would be on to her. /'Please…tell him to run. Have Arian try to convince him to flee, to hide himself away.'/

/'He will not do such a thing/ her friend said sharply.

/'I at least need him to know that I would understand if he did. If my mother finds out about him, I can only imagine the horrors that she will devise for the two of us. I do not wish him to suffer as I will.'/

Mercury pinched the bridge of her nose. /'I will tell Arian to pass on the message, but you have to know that Endymion would never act so cowardly. He is your Companion, princess. He will be with you no matter what.'/

/'That is what worries me.'/ Serenity took a moment. When she came back, she sounded panicked, as if something was developing in the conversation she was having with her mother. /'Also, please Ami-chan, could you go and warn Luna and Artemis? They deserve to know and understand before they see me crucified in court. Apologize to them, for me, for not having told them sooner. Oh, this is such a hopeless mess…'/

/'No, princess. Not hopeless.'/ Mercury stopped pacing and went to sit next to Arian once more. /'Please tell me if anything develops with your mother. I will hope for the best.'/

/'Thank you, my dear friend.'/

When Mercury finally turned her full attention on the man at her side, she gazed at him mournfully. "The queen has found out about Earth." Arian's eyes widened.

"And Endymion?"

"No," she was glad to say. He was as relieved as she had been. "Now, here is what she needs us to do…"

…

It was amazing how fast it happened. One minute she was assuring Mercury that Endymion was still a kept secret and the next, Mars was throwing insults everywhere.

"She has been cheating on my brother!" the fire senshi erupted at the queen.

While the matriarch's eyes narrowed in interested speculation, she still asked, "Do you have proof?"

"I overheard the princess and Commander Venus talking. They mentioned a man that Princess Serenity was seeing. I believe him to be from Earth, your majesty. I think that is why the princess has been secretly visiting the planet." Mars's tone had calmed down considerably. She felt that the queen was beginning to believe all that she was saying. Soon, her young liege would know that breaking her brother's heart was the wrong move to make.

While Queen Serenity would not have taken Mars at her word alone, she saw something flicker in her daughter's eyes. Maybe there was a shred of truth to this after all. To make sure, she questioned Mars again. "Are you sure that you heard correctly? Could you not have been blinded by your emotions over your brother's failed wedding? There is no physical evidence. I am hard pressed to charge my daughter with such high crimes with no more than your word."

"I have evidence!" Mars called out. Without waiting for a prompt from the queen, she moved briskly over to the princess.

Serenity stepped back when Mars reached for the collar of her dress. "What are you doing?" Her heart sped up. How in the name of the goddess did her 3rd in command know about her bond mark? She glanced briefly at Venus whose face had gone suddenly pale. They both knew that the mark would reveal more than just that Serenity was having an affair. It would reveal Prince Endymion as her lover.

Quickly and desperately, Serenity sent out a shout of warning to Mercury.

Mars tried again to tug on her dress. "You dare to touch me in such a manner, Mars?" Her senshi didn't back down from the weak threat. Instead, she turned to her mother for support.

"Queen Serenity, I believe that if you shift the princess's dress, you will find a Terran bonding mark. Will you authorize me to check for you?" Mars's black hair was in great contrast to her flaming eyes. She wanted revenge for her brother, and she would have it. The queen nodded and before Serenity could jump away again, Mars captured her dress and pulled it out of the way.

The milky skin of her breast peaked out from the newly allotted cleavage. As had happened once before during an almost equally tumultuous time, Serenity watched while another queen found out her dearest secret. The look was slow to dawn on her mother's face, but it came. It was a strange mixture of shock and interest. Even Mars, standing barely a foot away, her hand still resting against Serenity's smooth skin, was more shocked than she should have been. She was expecting a mark, but not _the_ mark.

Serenity couldn't help herself. She leaned in to her traitorous guardian and whispered, "When you play with fire, Mars, it burns."

The raven-haired girl looked up as though startled and watched with almost the same dread as Queen Serenity stood from her chair. "Well, this is an interesting development." She turned to the general at her side.

The princess knew what was coming. Since there was no point in shielding anything anymore, she sent out a telepathic message that was strong enough to give her prince whiplash. /'They are coming.'/

…..

Arian was sprinting down the halls. He had convinced his father to lift the ban on the Terran transporter only by confessing everything that had happened. There was no point in keeping the secret any longer. It was out now. Plus, he knew his father to be a good man who wouldn't use the information for ill purposes.

Right before he stepped through the glass-like surface of the transporter, he got the message from Mercury. The princess was frightened. Something was happening. He knew it could only be one thing, so the second he hit Terran soil, he ran down the halls that led almost immediately into the throne room. He had never been to Earth. All the times that the princess was meeting with the prince, Venus or Kunzite were the look-outs. Because of that, he did not know the palace layout. His only hope was that Endymion was in conference with the king and queen in the main hall, otherwise he would be lost.

Luckily he did not have to reveal himself and unlock a flurry of questions from the Terran monarchs, because he spotted General Jadeite. He had met the man once before, when he had accompanied Endymion briefly to the Moon. Kunzite had been devilishly sick.

The blonde also noticed him and quickly carted him off into a secluded hallway so that he wouldn't be seen by anyone else. "What is it?"

"I need Prince Endymion. It is urgent." They immediately set off to the prince's personal study. He was going over plans with Kunzite and Nephrite for the next attack on the invading army that had been bothering them for the past year. No matter how hard they tried, the war wouldn't end. There seemed to be endless reinforcements for their enemies.

He looked up from the battlefield map that was laid out on his desk when Jadeite and Arian burst through the doors. "Prince Arian?" He asked formally.

"I am so sorry," was the Martian's immediate response. Endymion straightened. "Serenity sent me."

Nephrite took a step forward. "Why did she send you, prince?"

"She is in with her mother." Before Arian could continue, Endymion came out from behind his desk. Worry was pooling in the pit of his stomach. Nothing that involved his love and her mother ever signaled something good. "She was caught, Endymion. She and Sailor Venus, when they came back from Earth."

Everyone paused.

"Oh gods," Zoicite whispered. "Does she know?"

Arian shook his head. "The queen only knows that Serenity has been visiting Earth. However, when I left…" his voice trailed off when he saw Endymion suddenly stumble.

Kunzite noticed as well and went over to his liege. "Prince?"

Endymion's blue eyes iced over, even while a defiant fire smoldered in their depths. "They are coming."

"What?" Jadeite screamed. "What do you mean, 'they are coming'? Who are-" he was cut off by the sound of thundering feet. The doors burst open and they were faced with a division of the palace's guards.

The captain of the division stepped forward, saluting the generals and the prince out of habit. His voice wavered for he was understandably nervous about having to arrest his liege-lord. "Prince Endymion, I am here to charge you with breaking Planetary Order 1-820. If you would please come with us, your highness, we will lead you to your sentencing," he said while holding out his hand.

End Chapter 17

……………..

We're coming down the home stretch now…next is the sentencing.

Please send any comments to me, Sereko.


	19. Chapter 18

Affair by Sereko

I totally and utterly give up trying to figure out this site's formatting! Every time I write a new chapter and format it as I had the last one that I sent in…something new pops up that doesn't work! First it was dashes, last chapter I found that the brackets I had been using as 'telepathy' marks weren't showing up either…then I just went through all my chapters and only a few of them actually denote indentations for the paragraphs…all the others have no indentations at all! ARGH! I give up! (And also apologize profusely for the inconsistency that now exists if someone reads 'Affair' from start to finish.) Anyway, on to the story…By the way, just a little fun fact: I wrote the first paragraph of this chapter about 5 years ago as part of my first, unpublished version of 'Affair'. The story was about 10 pages back then…now it's 146!

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters associated with the story. I merely use Naoko Takeuchi's genius as a starting point for my own storytelling.

…………

Chapter 18

…………

They looked at each other. There was a sense of resignation that had settled in their souls. They both knew that this day would come eventually, but they had never wanted it to. How could so many things have gone wrong so fast? He clasped her right hand tightly with one of his own. Her eyes watered as she squeezed his hand back. They turned as one to the opening doors beside them and let out a whispered prayer before entering the hall.

…

"Let me in!" The King of Mars was disgusted that he had to resort to screaming at the guards before him. All his power and he couldn't even get inside a few doors.

Prince Arian had told him what had happened to his friends. He had come to help his son and save the two young people he now knew so much about. The battle between the Earth and the Moon had been a long-running grudge that didn't seem to make any sense anymore. King Arian thought the feud outdated in this time when evil was growing ever more present in the corners of all the planets, Earth especially. Now was when everyone needed to bind together and fight off the pressing darkness, not bark at each other ineffectually as Queen Serenity was doing.

To punish two innocent children who had the potential to finally solve the conflict between the Earth and the Moon was madness. He was determined to stop the sentencing proceedings.

The four guards posted at the side door that he was trying to barge through stared straight ahead, their spears crossed in front of him. "The queen has ordered that you not be allowed inside, your highness. Please return to your planet."

King Arian raged many minutes longer, but he was not able to break the solid wall of the four guards. Instead, they eventually escorted him to the transporter room and waited until they saw him pass through the Martian transporter.

…

The Moon Palace had never had so many people within its halls, or without, for that matter. Anyone who couldn't fit in the vast throne room spilled out into the surrounding corridors and even into the outer gardens. The distance didn't matter; there was a chain of whispers that spread all throughout the crowd so that everyone knew what was happening at the center.

Inside the throne room, the senshi had been deployed in a semi-circle to hold back the increasing hordes of court members. In front of the warriors stood the Earth generals, a second line of security. Queen Serenity sat upon her dais, Queen Terra and King Endymion in chairs off to the side. Artemis and Luna stood regally behind their queen, the throne blocking anyone from being able to see that their hands were tightly clenched. On Queen Serenity's other side sat Prince Arian. She had told him that he deserved to watch the punishment of his adulterating fiancée. In the very center of this cocoon of officials were Serenity and Endymion. They were on opposite sides of the open space, about twenty feet from each other, and the separation tore at their strength. Queen Serenity had known that they wouldn't be able to put up as much of a fight apart as if she had let them stand together. Anything that could gain her favor, she had used. Including the placement of her advisors. With Artemis and Luna standing behind her, it gave the illusion that they backed the queen in her decision. That little falsity would also weaken her daughter's resolve.

"Prince Endymion, Princess Serenity, you stand before us today to face the consequences of your actions. You have been accused of fraternizing in secret, fully aware of the laws prohibiting any interactions between Lunarians and Terrans. Do you accept these accusations?" her cold, business-like voice questioned.

"Yes," both responded at the same time.

"Then, by my authority as the Queen of the Moon, in juncture with King Endymion of Earth, I am hereby required to design your punishments." She sent a brief glance to the other monarch, waited for the king's slight head nod, and then continued. "Separation is the most efficient and understandable penalty. You will, therefore, be forbidden from seeing each other from now until your reigns, when court obligations might ask for such a meeting. To ensure that this separation is abided by, you will each have three guards posted as your watch. Three, instead of one, to allow for shifts to be taken so that each guard will be at his most attentive when he is to watch over you."

There were murmurs among the crowds at what they considered a light punishment. The usual sentence was death or, at least, imprisonment for interactions between people of the Moon and Earth. The prince and princess were getting away with a slap on the wrist.

Queen Serenity raised her hand for silence and the room fell deathly so. "I understand your anger at this unworthy reprimand and apologize for it being much less than you had hoped. Execution is impossible because these dishonorable children are the only heirs to their respective kingdoms. King Endymion and I hope that by the time we pass on, you may have found a way to replace these insolent ones as your rulers so that you do not have to suffer under their insufficient hands. We only hope that you will see this punishment as the closest things to imprisonment that we can conjure without locking them behind bars and, thereby, making them even more inadequate for rule when their time comes." The crowd erupted in shouts of approval.

Serenity and Endymion hung their heads. Their own people were against them and what they had done. Could no one see that their bond was a thing of celebration and not of condemnation? They both tried their hardest not to listen to the words that were coming out of the queen's mouth. They had known since the beginning what would become of them if they were ever caught and didn't need to hear her harsh words to understand that they would never see each other again after this decree.

"Queen Serenity! Please!" Everyone turned their heads to see Venus breaking rank and striding to stand in front of the small set of steps that led to the queen's dais. Kunzite, his heart in his throat, watched with morbid fascination as his lover confronted the ruler of the entire Silver Millennium. "You must listen to reason!"

Queen Serenity glared down at the interference. "You dare to question me, Venus?"

"Yes!" she shouted back. Anxiety and desperation were lending her a sturdy grip on her courage. "What Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion share is something that will not be able to hold against your decree. They are Companions!"

The queen's eyes narrowed. She had heard of such a term before, long ago when she was still a child and taking history lessons. It had been centuries since the last pair of Companions. Their power was legendary. So was their bond. She had never quite understood it, even when she had been learning it, and only knew it to be a myth created by the zealous lovers of Venus. "You bring your flimsy Venusian mythology to my court, Venus? Such an outrageous statement will do nothing but reassure me that their separation is required."

Venus had to bite her tongue to keep herself from retorting that Lunarian mythology was as ludicrous as it was fact less. "Companions are not part of our mythology, your highness. They are a part of our history. Real, accurate accounts have been preserved that prove the existence of Companions."

"Well, then," Queen Serenity smirked, "I am sure these accounts describe this bond in full. There must be signs that led you to believe that my daughter and this man are joined together in such a manner." She waited a breath for effect. "Prove it." A smile hid behind her calm mask, for she was sure that she had just commanded the impossible from her head senshi.

The blonde blinked once, but not in surprise. There were too many things that could be used to indicate a Companion bond and she didn't know which one to choose. She decided to tell the queen just that. "There are several things that distinguish a Companion bond to that of a normal soul connection. The most bothersome of these being that when one Companion is injured, the other not only feels it but usually experiences the injury as well. Then there is-"

She was interrupted when the queen stood abruptly from her throne. "That will do." Venus noted a gleam in Queen Serenity's eye and suddenly felt uneasy. She watched, rather helplessly, as the regal woman descended the stairs in front of her and approached her daughter. To the princess's credit, she didn't even flinch when her mother glared from a mere foot away. "They can both feel it, can they?" she whispered almost inaudibly. She looked at Serenity with a calculating gaze.

Venus was suddenly struck with awareness of what the queen was thinking of doing. Of course. She would never miss an opportunity to abuse and humiliate her daughter. "Your majesty, there are many other indicators-" she tried to interject, but was cut off by the flick of the queen's hand.

"No, Venus, I think this will do nicely. It is, after all, the easiest thing to test, is it not?" Venus hated to admit that she was right, but she was. The other things unique to Companions were more obtuse and much harder to prove – such as the telepathy and their increased magical power which usually only came out under intense circumstances. The senshi glanced over at Endymion and noticed his clenched fists. He knew what was coming. Everyone knew what was coming.

SLAP!

It was a weak slap in comparison to what the queen usually dealt out to her daughter. The younger Serenity's head was thrown to the side, but that was all. Endymion winced, but to Queen Serenity it seemed that that could have just as easily been an emotional reaction and not a physical one. "Not enough, is it?" As she prepared for another, Queen Terra finally broke her solemn silence.

"Please!" she entreated. "Stop! She is your daughter!"

"She stopped being that long ago. Do not worry, Terra, this is merely an experiment." And so saying, the Moon Queen bared down on her daughter once more. It was hard this time. Like it had been when Serenity returned after having fled her own wedding. Taking no chances, the queen turned her rings inward to ensure that blood be drawn. There was no real test without blood. That was something that could not be faked.

The entire room watched as their leader beat her first and only child. The audience crowded behind the human wall of senshi held their breath to see what would happen. King Endymion looked on with a stern eye, not fully understanding Queen Serenity's insanity but not renouncing her actions either. Prince Arian was poised halfway out of his chair in a weak attempt to stop what was about to be done. Artemis and Luna stood stoically with their eyes closed, unable to watch their surrogate daughter's humiliation. Kunzite had his gaze locked on his prince, waiting for the reaction he knew was sure to come.

The sound was duller than the first time around. Due to the fact that it was less a slap meant to sting and more a smack meant to hurt.

Serenity's body flipped to the side from the force. Her eyes had stayed ice cold on her mother's until the moment of execution. Now, after stumbling a few steps to regain her balance, she held a hand to her bleeding cheek. Three rings, three slices. Her skin was already turning purple.

There had been a scream, coming from the victim herself, with an echo.

Even as they saw Serenity's reaction, everyone in the room also saw Endymion's. His shout had been guttural, a perfect contrast to the higher pitch of Serenity's voice. He had to take a step back, like his love, from the surprise of the feeling. He had been lucky enough to never have been on the receiving end of their Companion bond before. He wasn't sure what the reason, but sometimes they did not experience the other's injury as he was now. There had been times in the beginning when she had been hurt and he hadn't felt it, but that was before they had become fully connected. Even after they had essentially become one, there had been times when she had been hurt and, though he had felt the pain and emotion behind the injury, he had never actually experienced it. Now that he thought about it, this was only the second time that he had bled because of her. Yet, she had felt him on multiple occasions. The intriguing problem was a comforting distraction. He would ponder inconsistencies to keep his mind off of what was going on around him.

Eventually, his cheek flared with pain and he was forced to copy Serenity and place a hand to the wound to stop the blood and ease the bite.

Everyone stared in awe.

Venus had been right. They were Companions. There hadn't even been a second of delay. The very moment that Serenity had reacted, so too had Endymion. Now they both nursed bruised and bloodied cheeks. Mercury and Arian watched with slackened jaws. Even Venus and Kunzite, who had been expecting the reaction, had wide eyes. None of them had actually seen their friends' bond at work. The sight amazed them.

The queen slowly dragged her finger across Serenity's fresh cut. Wiping the blood clean, she inspected her work, then looked over at Endymion and studied his matching mark. "Exactly the same," she said in a wonder-filled voice that she couldn't prevent. "Amazing."

Venus quickly collected herself from her awed stupor to rally against the queen once more. "Yes! They are Companions! That is why you must not separate them like this. It will be a death sentence!"

"Which is no more than they deserve."

"You just finished saying that because they are your only heirs, you could not kill them. Even if that were not the case, would you want to destroy such a beautiful thing?" She spun around in an arc so that she accused the mass of court members as well as the royals behind her. "They are your saviors! For what purpose, we do not yet know, though my guess would be that the growing darkness on Earth has something do to with it. They were sent to us as pure, supreme beings whose only function in life is to love each other and protect humans from a power too strong for them to defeat alone. And this is what you do? You throw the gods' gift back at them as if it were spoiled fruit?"

Venus turned, took a few steps towards the queen and scrutinized her through squinted eyes. "Mark my words, your highness, you carry out this punishment and the gods will never forgive you for having killed their children."

Queen Serenity's face had become an icy mask. "Was that a threat, my dear Venus?" She tapped one long, sharp fingernail on the edge of her chair. "I believe you can be imprisoned for such talk," the queen said it idly as if it were no concern.

"How can I threaten someone who does not feel the laws of the universe upon her shoulders? No, my queen, I stand before you in plea."

"You really need not worry. One account long ago is hardly enough to prove the existence of such a thing as Companions. Folklore is entertaining, but has no place in the serious world. Do not let your mind be muddled with fables, Venus."

"It is not a myth!" she screamed in frustration, her hands fisted at her sides. How could she make her understand? Was there no way? "There is nothing fake about what happened here just a few minutes ago." She walked up to Serenity to brush a finger across the still aching wound on her cheek, unconsciously repeating what Queen Serenity had done just minutes before. "I am not asking you to believe, your highness, I am _telling_ you that Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion are Companions. I am telling you that more than a few weeks apart will destroy them in ways you cannot fathom. They are in pain now just from standing apart from each other!" The senshi shoved her princess into Endymion and everyone watched as the couple unwittingly sighed at their newfound closeness. Venus walked once more to her queen, her steps shaky. Kunzite moved forward, away from the line of guards, in a desire to support his beloved.

The blonde had tears in her eyes, ones that were too close to the surface not to fall. "Please, my queen. I beg of you to revoke your decree and let these two live together as they should."

"Why would I do that? After all of the wrongs they have committed, why would I let them go free?"

"Because!" Venus passionately called out, using the last of her resolve. "Because the wrongs they committed were not wrongs at all. They only did them to be together, something that is impossible for them to resist. You cannot tear them apart!" she ordered and then fell to her knees in frustrated despair. Kunzite was closing in on her. Her heart made a split second decision and before she knew what she was doing, she heard herself whisper, "You cannot tear me apart." Serenity's eyes widened when she realized that Venus was fighting so fiercely in her defense because she saw the trial as something that she would soon face herself. "Please," she breathed helplessly. Her voice was soft and aching, but it carried through the quiet crowd. Tears were slowly dripping down her cheeks. "Please do not take him away from me. Please do not take my Kunzite."

As the words fell from her lips, Kunzite finally reached her side. He knelt down to be at her level and wrapped both arms around her shoulders without a word. Her eyes were closed and remained so even after he hugged her.

"Well, is this not an interesting development?" Queen Serenity said in dark delight. Her fingers steepled in front of her. "You are the leader of my most gifted warriors and you threw the rules to the wind, letting them fly from your control. I trusted you to keep order and instead you were fraternizing with the enemy the entire time. Maybe it was you who convinced my daughter to do the same?" her tone was deadly. Venus didn't even bother to retort, knowing that the action would get her nowhere. Kunzite's blood boiled, but he held his tongue. As did Serenity. "I fear I cannot have you as my senshi leader any longer, Venus. You have proven a disappointment." Venus's shoulders tensed and her eyes slowly opened. "From here on in, your title and role as the Captain of the Senshi Guard is suspended."

…

Earlier in the evening, Queen Terra of Earth had tried her best to plead with her contemporary in favor of the young couple before them. "Please, Queen Serenity, listen to Sailor Venus. Heed her words." The blonde royal had turned to Terra, barely sparing the younger woman a glance and instead sending a pointed look to the king. King Endymion nodded in understanding and laid a restraining hand on top of his wife's.

"Silence yourself before you turn the leader of the Silver Millennium into an enemy of the Earth." He had said this without looking at her or raising his voice above a whisper.

Now, only a few minutes later, she tried again to fight for two helpless children. "But Endymion, I believe Sailor Venus. If we go through with this punishment, I honestly think that we will be killing our own son." She leaned slightly into his side to strengthen her words.

"You are too soft hearted." His features momentarily changed, lightening from their usual harshness. He finally moved his gaze from the trial proceedings to the warm blues of his wife's eyes. His hand rose and he ran the backs of his knuckles along her jaw line. "My sweet, romantic Terra."

She didn't let his charm weaken her. "Romantic or not, I cannot let this go forward."

His eyes hardened again, all love fleeing instantly. "Stop. Do not fight what must be."

"What must be?" she questioned incredulously.

"Yes, They broke an unforgivable law. They deserve what Queen Serenity and I have devised for them." He once again returned his attention to the trial. Venus was crying on the ground with his High General Kunzite at her side. King Endymion frowned.

Queen Terra followed his gaze, concealing her shock at seeing General Kunzite in so intimate a position. Her heart warmed, young love seemed to be blossoming in the most unexpected places. First her playboy son and then the stoic, impenetrable Kunzite. She leaned once more into her husband's side. "Surprised to see your general in love?"

The King stiffened. "No, he is infatuated. A fool taken in by a beautiful woman. He will come to his senses soon."

"Have you so easily forgotten what love looks like?" Terra grabbed his chin and forced his head a few inches to the left so that Endymion and Serenity came into his view. His son held a gentle hand against the small of the princess's back. She had one of her own subtly resting upon his hip. Though both were turned to Venus and the Queen, he could sense their bond. He was amazed at how strong it was. Beyond their Terran connection, he could also see the occasional glances they sent each other. Tender, warm, caring looks. Oftentimes, one would turn slightly just to watch the other for a moment, as if to reassure themselves that the other was there. It was almost too sweet for King Endymion to bear.

But it was love.

He moved his chin out of his wife's grip. "They broke the law, Terra. And now, so have General Kunzite and Sailor Venus. After this trial for our son and the princess, I am sure that Queen Serenity will put one together for them as well."

"Trial?" Terra balked. "You call this a trial? There are no judges, no deliberation to be had. This is not a trial, but a sentencing!"

"Then let them be sentenced," he spit back with an icy glare.

"But Endymion," she pleaded though she could see that he wasn't going to listen.

His face was rigid as he stared straight ahead. "I have spoken, wife. Cease your arguing."

She froze, and then sat back in defeat. She tried her hardest not to be offended by the harsh way that Endymion was treating her. Their marriage had been an arranged one, as was customary for the royal lines of Earth, but they had been lucky enough to find love and companionship in their early years together. He hadn't been as cold or harsh in a very long time as he was being that minute. Terra hadn't the power to fight against his stone cold demeanor, his heartless commands. She sent a wistful look to her son, sighing with more than just sadness but also pain. Pain for the four lovers on display and pain at finding that the devotion she had shared with the man at her side was dwindling.

…

Serenity finally broke her silence and stepped forward. "Mother," she began softly to catch the queen's attention. "Though I will never be able to understand what it is that I did to deserve your eternal hatred, I have become used to your treatment of me. What I do not understand now is why you are taking that aggression out on your number one in command."

"She is my number one no longer," Queen Serenity said icily.

"Yes, you have made that very clear. I applaud your ability to ruin lives," Serenity bit back. "Forgive my impatience, but if you would be so kind as to get on with your negotiations so that we might be done, then I may leave to say my farewell to Endymion." Mercury was proud to see her princess stand up so strongly against her mother, who just minutes before had publicly humiliated her. She looked down at her commander and was happy to see that she too had collected herself and was now standing with a nearby Kunzite. She glanced over towards the dais and was surprised to see that Arian was looking directly at her. His eyes were aching from the events that he had just witnessed. Mercury wished with all her might that she could wipe them clear of that pain and show them happiness again. She raised a fist to her heart and beat it lightly once. Arian saw the gesture for the message it was and raised a hand of his own to his heart to mimic it. They both smiled softly.

"Why, dear daughter, do you think that I would give you time for such a thing?" The younger Serenity paused, dreading what was coming next. Her mother walked back up to her throne, sat down and began in a booming voice, "After these objections, in fear that any further contact between Prince Endymion of Earth and my daughter, Princess Serenity of the Moon, will only result in a stronger bond being formed between them, I hereby announce their punishment to be a permanent severance until a time when their joint cooperation is needed as leaders of their respective worlds." The crowd cheered. The tears and emotions that Serenity had so valiantly held back the entire evening started to surface. She looked around, locking eyes with Venus, Kunzite, Luna, Artemis, Queen Terra, Arian and Mercury. Her resolve began to crack. "Let it be known that from this point forth, if these two are seen together, it is to be considered a capital offense and will result in the immediate binding of their powers by the authority of Lunar Code C-13." Serenity did a double take, making sure that she had heard correctly. A binding of their powers? To bind one's powers was to seal them away into the farthest reach of one's mind so that they were completely inaccessible. It was equivalent to stripping one of one's energy, leaving the victim defenseless and violated. There was simply no end to her mother's cruelty.

"With the authority as the Queen of the Moon Kingdom and leader of the Silver Millennium, I call forth the cooperation of the public and enact this punishment as truth." Princess Serenity's breath shortened. Her wet eyes finally spilled over, painting her cheeks with two rivulets of tears. She could feel the noose tightening around her fragile neck. "It begins now." Serenity let out her breath in shock. Now? Now! She realized that she had screamed the question out loud when she saw her mother give a wicked grin and nod. Her tears came full force, accompanied with desperate sobs.

"No!" she wailed. Right as she was about to fall bonelessly into a heap, she felt two arms encircle her waist from behind and lean her back against a strong chest. 'Mamo-chan.' He cradled her as she slipped to the ground. Her body continued to shake with the force of her crying.

Armed guards came to life at the sides of the room to enforce their queen's wishes. They were coming to destroy his life, Endymion thought. And he was powerless to stop them. As the guards shifted, the crowd behind them managed to break through their ranks. Nobles and peasants alike began to converge on the white marble at the center of Lunar Hall. The senshi, who had been stagnant up until that point, were starting to have to physically keep people in line. Even that didn't stop them all, and soon they were circling around Endymion and Serenity.

Instinctively, the Terran prince dipped into the well of power that his bond with the princess formed. Unlike the last time, when guards attacked Serenity in his palace gardens, the power was not full and awaiting his use. The tension and trauma that he and Serenity had suffered over the past weeks had broken up their resources. Or at least, that was the only reason that Endymion could think of for finding their bond's reserve desert-like. He tried to protect them anyway, despite the fact that there were mere drops of energy left, and immediately a blue shield surrounded the couple. He smiled hopefully and whispered comfortingly into Serenity's ear. Seconds later, the blue light flickered. Endymion felt a tug inside himself and weaved on his knees as he watched the shield completely fail and disappear. "No!" he screamed in frustration. Needing desperately to see a friendly face, the prince searched through the crowd and was rewarded by finding Kunzite.

The general sensed his liege's need and immediately turned from Venus to find the younger man in the chaos. He had managed to move himself and his lover out of harm's way when the riot began, so they were nicely cocooned behind the dais and thrones that were still heavily guarded. He berated himself for not making sure that Endymion had been able to do the same. 'But then, why would he have been able to?' he questioned himself. 'He was just sentenced to death.' The truth of his own thought had Kunzite frantically moving away from Venus in order to seek out his prince in the crowd.

Kunzite's eyes finally focused on the broken forms of Serenity and Endymion only a few yards away. They were on the ground, one holding the other, though both seemed to be holding each other. They were rocking back and forth, tears mingled amongst their shirts. His heart shattered at the sight.

And then he was witness to the two being literally torn apart by a group of five guards. Endymion fought his captors with all his might, but the two burly men that were holding his arms back and the one in front that threatened him with a sword to his throat succeeded in taming him. The crowd cheered. Serenity yelled when a guard grabbed her around the waist and hauled her to her feet. She turned and twisted, kicked and scratched as much as she could but was unable to overpower the 6'2" wall of solid muscle that held her. She halted her physical protests when a second guard stood in front of her and presented his sword to her just like his partner had to Endymion.

While Kunzite and Venus, Arian and Mercury – the former clutching the arm of his chair and the later pausing in her attempts to calm the crowd – watched on, their two closest friends were forcibly dragged to opposite ends of the grand hall. Before she was taken completely through the large side doors, Serenity screamed out at the top of her lungs, "I love you!" It didn't matter that he could feel such sentiment through their bond or that she could have told him just as easily through telepathy. In the throws of desperation, one's voice was needed, required. It would be the last time that he would hear her voice for a long while.

Knowing all of that, Endymion responded with equal fervor. "I love you!"

Both sets of side doors closed with a resounding clang. The room fell silent. Even the rowdy crowd froze for a moment, as if the noise was a warning toll and for the first time they feared that they might have been wrong in their decision.

After a full minute of silence passed, the senshi and remaining guards finally got a hold of the audience members and were able to slowly lead them out of the throne room. Once the last dignitary was through the main doors, those too were shut. No one was left in the closed room except for the senshi, the royalty, two advisors and four Terran generals.

Queen Terra, with her hands to her face, started crying in heartfelt pain for her son. The king sat in somewhat stunned disbelief, ashamed that Queen Serenity had been so crude in enforcing her sentence. Kunzite was holding Venus in a tight embrace, allowing the blonde to muffle her cries into his chest. He tried his best to blend into the shadows at the side of the dais, hoping that Queen Serenity's attention wouldn't fall to them and then force them to undergo the same punishment as their lieges.

Arian, for the first time that night, was able to stand from his seat. He walked unsteadily down the few steps of the platform, his mind blank except for one clear desire: to be with Amile. She was sure that she would have been pleased when he stopped in front of her had her mind not been dulled by the events of the evening. His shaky hand caught the tips of her fingers. The slight touch snapped through her and caused her to move into the hug that he was now offering her.

It was a new world. One that frightened them all.

End Chapter 18

……………..

Officially past the climax now. Well, at least one of them. I think there will be about…I dunno, 5 chapters left? Not too much. We're almost at the finale. Oh and yes, I will be explaining the bond-reaction thing that I hinted at with Endymion's musings. There is a reason that he hasn't been affected as Serenity has by their connection.

Please send any comments to me, Sereko.


	20. Chapter 19

Affair by Sereko

Lots of back and forth in this chapter. I decided not to dwell on Serenity and Endymion's separation too much, so this chapter is a summary – of sorts – of the first month that they are apart. Next chapter will be more narrative and descriptive, but I didn't want to overdo the angst this time around. Oh, and I also apologize for any editing errors. I've never had a beta reader, since I usually proofread my own work rather thoroughly…but the last couple of chapters that I've posted, I haven't had time to proofread because I was so excited to be finished and I wanted to get them out to you all as soon as possible. The same goes for this chapter. I probably won't get around to proofreading it until I work on Chapter 20, which means that you might stumble upon some errors.

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters associated with the story. I merely use Naoko Takeuchi's genius as a starting point for my own storytelling.

…………

Chapter 19

…………

It wasn't so bad at first. The prince and princess were depressed, obviously, but there were no other ill effects of their separation. That would all change by the end of the first week.

Luna nodded a greeting to the guards and they opened the bedroom doors for her. She smiled softly when she saw Serenity still asleep. If there was one thing the girl enjoyed, it was sleeping in. Not that she had many royal duties anymore. The female advisor shook her head of the thought. She opened the curtains to let bright sunlight in. The Earth hung large in the sky. 'A constant remainder to the poor dear.'

"I tried to break our link," came a voice from the bed. Luna jumped in fright and brought a hand to her heart as she turned.

"I thought you were asleep!" she shouted in accusation.

Serenity turned her head away from her surrogate mother and continued with her ramblings. "Like I did when I found out that I was engaged to Arian. I really tried, so that we would not feel each other's pain. It is too strong now to have both of our heavy hearts weighing each other down. I feel like I am sinking, Luna." She turned back so that Luna could see the ache in her eyes.

"I know, child," the older woman responded while sitting on the bed and petting the top of her princess's head.

Serenity closed her eyes at the affection. If only this woman had not only raised her, but had birthed her as well. If only. "I could not break it."

"What?"

"I could not break it. I am already too weak and we have become too close. Before, our bond was new and unstable…but now it is solid, strong, intertwining us in every way. I can no longer separate myself from him."

Luna gave her an encouraging look. "Then you will always have a part of him with you."

"No, Luna," Serenity said before Luna could get her hopes up. "If the bond remains as it is, then we will fade all the faster. Had I been able to break it, we might have had more time."

"Time for what?"

Serenity looked directly into her eyes. "Time to die."

Before Luna could look appalled at her charge, Venus burst through the doors. Both women on the bed immediately turned at the noise. "I am sorry to barge in like this, highness." She deferred to the black-haired advisor. "Can I speak with the princess alone for a moment, milady?" Luna looked reluctant to acquiesce, but she eventually kissed her almost daughter on the forehead and left.

Venus approached her liege with restrained rage. Serenity pretended not to notice. She had been waiting for this confrontation. Her senshi walked around a bit, to the window, then the closet, then back to the window. Finally, she built up the nerve and went to the bed.

"I just had a very interesting conversation with your mother. I believe you have some explaining to do," she demanded. Formality be damned, she couldn't act like a good little senshi and genuflect after what she had just heard.

…

Kunzite could. It never seemed to matter how intense the situation, he could always shove his emotions back and say 'your highness.'

"What must I explain?" Endymion asked calmly. He new very well what his general wanted to talk to him about. The prince was happy that he was taking a walk in the gardens when Kunzite caught up to him, so that he could distract himself through what was to come. Part of him felt guilty for enjoying the fresh air and bright colors of the fall flowers. His beloved on the white sphere above was confined strictly to her room. Endymion's parents couldn't bear to be quite so harsh and, therefore, allowed him to walk the grounds of the palace as long as his three guards were with him at all times. And they were, one posted at each exit.

The Terran high general blistered at the distracted attention he was getting from his prince. "Do not play ignorant with me, your highness. I just came from a meeting with King Endymion."

"And what did he have to say?"

…

"It seems that despite our crime, the queen is willing to let Kunzite and me go free from punishment." Venus turned her back on Serenity. She thought she could get through this if she held on to her anger, but tears still managed to mist her eyes. "She brought me in at the same time that Kunzite was sent in to see King Endymion for what we thought would be our own sentencing."

Serenity smiled softly at her friend's back. 'It was the least we could do,' she thought to herself. 'The very least, my dear.'

…

"However," Kunzite thundered as he forced his prince to finally face him. "He not only did not sentence me, but he said that Minara and I were still allowed to see each other." He bit his lip, still in disbelief. "The only stipulation was that we have to do it formally. We cannot sneak around anymore. He said that I was free to love the Princess of Venus as a proper gentleman."

Endymion's heart softened. 'So good to hear, Kunz. I am glad he came through with his end of the bargain.' He kept his thoughts to himself, smiling faintly at the general and then returning his attentions to the ailing rose bushes on his side. He had been neglecting them and now they would go into hibernation unprepared.

…

"I consulted with Kunzite after my meeting and he told me that the king conveyed the same message to him." Venus returned to the window. The Earth was so breathtaking to look at. Every time she saw it, it was like the first time. "It occurred to us that the only reason why we were not punished was because you and Endymion must have said something to them." She turned shaky eyes to her princess. "Still, this is your mother we are talking about. She would not give up such an opportunity for cruelty unless she received something in return."

Serenity nodded. 'Indeed not.'

"Why would she do that, princess? What did you say to her?" Venus demanded.

…

"We told them to leave you alone. They already set the example with us. They did not need to do it again, especially to mere generals."

Kunzite spun away from him. "Why must you be such a martyr!" he shouted. "It is my duty to protect you! Not the other way around! I am your general!"

Endymion just smoothed the petals of a blood red rose between his fingers. This one was still alive, still struggling against the cold weather that would soon wither it. "Regardless, Kunzite. We told them that you would do no harm being together."

…

"There is more, Serenity. I know it. Tell me what you bargained with," Venus begged in a faint whisper.

The princess reached out and clasped her senshi's hand. "We said that if they let you two stay together…"

…

"…then Serenity and I would peaceably accept our own punishment."

Kunzite ripped his hand out of his liege's grasp. "What?!"

The prince didn't take offense to the retraction. Instead, he tried to comfort his dear friend. "It was too late for us, Kunz. There was no way that we could fight and win against the public decree Queen Serenity made. This way, at least you and Princess Minara can have peace."

"Are you crazy!" The general yelled and grabbed Endymion by both arms, immediately returning to him after he had pulled away just moments before. "How can I be at peace knowing that you are dying?! Knowing that it is my fault?"

…

"It is not your fault!" Serenity asserted. "Minara, we gave up nothing with this deal. No matter how hard we would have fought, Endymion and I would never have been able to change the minds of my mother or the entire kingdom. You cannot forget the mob that was here only a week ago. They all wanted this. It is not time for them to understand yet. When the darkness finally falls, maybe they will let their Companions become more than just a myth. For now, none of them have the mind for it."

Venus sat next to the other blonde. She looked at the hands pooled in her lap helplessly. "You do not know that."

"Yes, I do. We do."

Looking at her princess, Venus noticed for the first time that the other woman had not arisen the entire time they had been talking. "Princess, why are you still in bed?"

Serenity tried to ignore the question. "Still 'princess'? Honestly, Min, I would have thought that you could call me 'Sere' by now." She smiled.

"Sere," Venus said meaningfully, "why are you still in bed?"

"What do you mean?"

The senshi nearly growled. "Do not play dumb with me. You have not moved the entire time I have been here." A sense of dread started to pool in Venus's stomach.

The princess just laughed. "I am fine. You caught me by surprise when you barged in here earlier and I have not dressed properly. I thought it indecent of me to expose myself."

"No…" Venus trailed off. She was staring at Serenity's legs intently. "Princess, stand up."

"What? Minara, seriously, I am fine."

"Then stand up!" the Venusian senshi called out almost desperately. "Stand up now, Sere!"

The princess turned her head away.

"Sere?" Venus hated that her voice wavered.

Serenity played with the ring on her left hand. Endymion had given it to her nearly a month before, a promise ring of sorts, and it was the closest thing she had to the wedding band she had hoped for. They hadn't the time for that step, though. Her mother had torn them apart too soon.

"Sere, please. Stand up."

She couldn't stomach hearing her friend so unsure. "I cannot, Minara."

Her hand was suddenly squeezed rather harshly. "Why not?"

"My legs do not work anymore."

…..

For a while, it seemed as if the princess was the only one affected by the separation. Her body continued to shut down on her as the days passed on. First, she couldn't walk. Venus had managed to aid her that first day through a stilted walk around the room. The next day, she couldn't lock her knees well enough to remain standing even with two people to lean on.

And so it went.

…..

Endymion was coughing. Kunzite had hoped that his liege had merely contracted the flu and that the healers could remedy him. He knew better though. When the fit was over, he approached the younger man.

The head of the crown prince dipped, spilling dark bangs over his eyes. He bit his lip and nearly broke the skin. "I am sorry." Deep blue eyes pierced Kunzite after the sentiment slipped from his lips.

"It hurts, Kunz." Endymion squeezed his eyes shut. "It hurts like nothing else in the world." Kunzite would never forget that moment. The silent defeat and pain encompassing his best friend was overwhelming.

…..

Mercury walked into the room expecting to see her princess in her bed and instead found her pooled on the floor crying. She quickly approached and put a hand to her friend's back.

"I cannot feel him anymore," the younger woman whispered pathetically.

"Sere?" The senshi said quizzically while sitting down on the floor as well.

Serenity stared up into Mercury's face, a river of tears sliding down her cheeks. "Our link has faded too much, I cannot sense Endymion anymore." And indeed, the blue-haired girl couldn't see the passionate soul that once resided behind her liege's sky blue eyes. Her spark, her love, her Companion had left her.

…..

By the end of the following week, the generals heard reports that Serenity had ceased being able to feed herself. She was now almost completely incapacitated. Nephrite was trying to explain to his friends what it felt like for the prince and princess. His brief connection to Serenity when she essentially hypnotized him had given him more than just insight into the bond. He could still sense it in him, as if he were a voyeur. "You cannot even imagine how it pulls at them."

"How do we know that she is not dead?" Jadeite interrupted.

Zoicite sent him a reproving stare. They were in their prince's office, for gods' sake. "What are you talking about?"

Jadeite continued, unaffected by his fellow general. "Kunzite just told us that she is bedridden. Her body has shut down on her. They have to force-feed her. Endymion said that he cannot feel her anymore. How do we know that she is not gone from this world?"

Kunzite was about to tell him that while the princess had no motor operations left functioning, she was still fully conscious. His prince beat him to it, though, and much more effectively.

"She is not dead," Endymion whispered solemnly but strongly. His pale, feverish skin was almost translucent when the sun's rays washed over him.

"How do you know that?" Jadeite asked incredulously.

Their liege ran a slow hand through his hair. "Because then I would be too." The room settled into quiet.

…

They had tried to figure out why their lieges were reacting so differently to the separation. While Serenity's deterioration was faster, it was also less gruesome. Endymion could walk just fine, but he was constantly wracked with hacking coughs that had recently started to produce blood.

"It could just be their bodies. Some metaphysical part of their make-up forces them to react differently," Mercury supplied. She was leaning against Arian on a bench outside. He played idly with the fingers of one of her hands as they conversed with their friends.

Venus shook her head and twirled a hand through the water in the base of the fountain she sat next to. "No. The injury was not made on a physical level. It was their souls that were torn asunder."

"The prince mentioned that over the past months that they have been together, he has not been affected by the bond in the same way as the princess. He was never injured quite like she was until the end. Could that mean something?" Kunzite added absently. He was mesmerized by the peace that he saw in the senshi of water and the prince of fire. Was it possible for love to be so simple? So easy? Luckily for them, they had learned from their friends' plights and were not foolish enough to hide their relationship. Prince Arian had publicly announced his intentions towards the Princess of Mercury three weeks prior. Nobody had objected, even Queen Serenity, despite the recent betrothal her daughter had had with Arian. It was a celebrated union by all the people of the Moon, Mercury and Mars. Kunzite was bitterly jealous of their fortune. He and Venus were allowed to court, certainly, but there were no parades in their honor.

Mercury perked up. "Definitely. It means that there is a fundamental difference between the way they experience their bond."

"But they both feel one another's emotions, share telepathy and such. That is no different," Arian supplied.

Venus leaned forward. "The difference is only in the physical manifestation of the Companion link, not in the mental or soulful." She thought for a second, her index finger tapping at her chin. "How are they different physically?"

"Well, Endymion is a man and Serenity is a woman, for starters," Arian laughed. He looked down at Mercury to share in his mirth, but his girl was up and off the bench in three seconds flat.

"That is it!" she shouted. "The only way they differ is that their bodies are opposites. Endymion must have a stronger block against any physical ailments because his body is that of a Terran warrior. His wounds strike deeper, though, since they have to burrow so hard past his defenses. Serenity is much weaker physically and the bond needs little effort to affect her."

"Yes, that could be it. Endymion is the male part of the connection and Serenity the female." Venus was glad to have that mystery solved, though it did little to help their situation.

Kunzite walked by her leisurely. "They both reacted exactly the same in the throne room, did they not?" He watched with pleasure as Venus steamed, her somber thoughts immediately fleeing her mind. Mission accomplished.

"Suppose their close proximity had something to do with it?" Arian suggested.

"Must be," Mercury murmured.

They continued their discussion for a while, none too eager to turn to thoughts of more pressing matters.

…..

The next day, Endymion went to watch his parents attend court. He had felt neglectful of them since Serenity had preoccupied him for the last long while. There was no love lost between he and his father. Even before the man had banded together with Queen Serenity, there had only been kingly respect between them, nothing warmer or more familial. No, he was just going to see his mother. His sweet, caring mother.

Walking through the doors, he noticed that the parishioners usually filling the palace throne room were gone. 'They must have just finished conferences for the day,' he assumed and moved to stand near a few members of the court. From there, he watched his parents speak with General Kunzite. His friend could look so damn regal when he wanted to. Stiff back, polite expression, imperious eyes.

Endymion was rocked from his musings by a strong tug in his chest. Without warning, emotion flooded him. He had never known longing to be so harsh, so strong. It pulled at him from every which way until he was falling forward to his knees. His head bent as a fit of coughs plagued him and then he was collapsing fully to the ground.

…

Kunzite had just been finishing up his daily report to the king and queen when he noticed Endymion standing at the side of the room. It looked at first as if the young man wanted to address his parents, so Kunzite started to speed up his speech. Maybe he had finally come up with a way for him to be with Serenity. Despite how far-fetched the idea was, Kunzite tried to hang on to his belief that it might be true. His prince needed it to be true.

He had just been given another update on the blonde princess's condition by his own blonde pixie, Venus. Things were taking a turn for the worse. No one was able to keep Serenity up for more than a few hours a day. They could see her try to hold on, oftentimes gripping their own hands as if to anchor herself to the waking world, but no matter how hard she tried, she would slip back under. Her mind had become too weak. So had her heart. Venus had told him just that morning that Serenity's crescent moon mark had almost completely disappeared. For it to vanish completely would be a sign of the end.

There was a noise to the side of the hall near some of the court officials. Kunzite as well as King Endymion and Queen Terra turned to see what the disturbance was. They all had to hold in their breaths when they saw that it was the prince. He had been taken over by another coughing fit. This one strong enough, like they all had been recently, to leave a dark bloodstain on the handkerchief he held to his mouth. Terra looked away in shame, knowing that her inability to overcome her husband's power had partly caused her son's predicament. If only she had been able to knock some sense into the king at her right, had been able to overrule his ignorance, then maybe a different punishment would have been devised.

She turned back to Kunzite who was finally ending his report, concluding it by saying that they had cause to worry over the troop movements in the southwest. After bowing and receiving a gesture of leave from the king, he began to walk away. Terra saw him freeze in place after only moving about ten feet. Her gaze followed his and she was dismayed to see that it was once again Endymion that had caught his attention. Her only child had rather suddenly become drastically pale, with an almost feverish sheen to his skin.

As if in a dream world, she watched in slow motion as Endymion abruptly brought a hand to his chest in pain and began another coughing fit while slipping to his knees. This one sounded harsher than the others and wetter. Blood came out in heavy spats to color the creamy marble floor beneath him. Possessed by the intuition of a mother, she rose from her throne and started towards her son. The world was a milky haze around her. She didn't notice her husband call to the guards for a healer, nor did she see him then rise up and come after her. Her mind was focused on only one point, her dearest Endy, and everything else just faded away.

Because the world was a non-existent blur around her, she couldn't hear when her son's coughing turned to wheezing. Kunzite had almost reached him, but those last few steps seemed to take forever in her motionless daze. Before anyone got within three feet of Endymion, Terra watched as he suddenly stopped coughing and fell lifelessly to the ground.

She screamed the scream of a mother in pain.

The entire palace echoed with the haunting noise.

Endymion did not even flinch, but a very weak breath flowed through his bloodied lips as proof that he was still alive.

End Chapter 19

……………..

All righty. Next climax! Sorry for the cliffhanger! (I am so _not_ sorry, by the way – tee hee)

Please send any comments to me, Sereko.


	21. Chapter 20

Affair by Sereko

Hrm…not as much or as good as I had hoped, but I was reaching an all-time low for longest time without posting and wanted to get something out to all you faithful readers. Please know how much I appreciate all of your reviews. It may not seem like it, but they do encourage me to write...I just don't always have the time that I wish I did in order to do so. It is also surprisingly hard to choreograph what is one of the last chapters of a story that has taken up the past four years of my life! Alrighty, enough with the excuses. I think I've doused you all with plenty of those over the years. Thanks for hanging in there with me! Enjoy the story!

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon. I merely use Naoko Takeuchi's genius as a starting point for my own storytelling.

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Chapter 20

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Mars walked cautiously into the room, not knowing what to expect. Her father had assured her that this was where her brother would be. "It reminds him of her," he had said. The senshi glanced through the shelves of books in the library and scrunched her nose. She had no idea why this place seemed to remind Arian of Mercury, but then, she didn't know Mercury all that well. It was a shame how solitary all of the senshi were. Mars could remember a time when they were children and they played together, had sleepovers in one another's rooms and whispered secrets in each other's ears. She had never been that close to the princess. None of them were able to break through the wall that Serenity had erected around herself to protect against her mother's vicious ways. None except for Mercury, now that she thought about it. The water senshi had a special touch that connected with their liege.

Sun filtered through partially shuttered windows, highlighting streams of dust that hung in the air. Mars resisted the urge to cough as she stepped further into the massive cave of books. She paused in her reminiscing when she finally caught a glimpse of Arian.

Her brother was sitting on one of the window seats, gazing outward, a novel forgotten in his lap. He looked so sad that Mars immediately cleared her throat to catch his attention. Arian's head spun around at the noise. His expression became one of disappointment when he saw who was bothering him. "What are you doing here?" he asked harshly.

Mars didn't back off. She came here for a reason and she wouldn't let his surly attitude deter her. She decided to start with something light, hoping that would improve his temper. "I should ask you the same thing. I happen to know a wonderful blue-haired lady who is moping around on the Moon, pinning away for you."

Arian didn't grace her with a smile or a chuckle. He just looked blankly at her. "What do you want, Reianna?"

"Reianna? No more Rei? Have we truly drifted so far from each other?" Mars asked as she sat down beside him.

Her brother immediately stood up and paced away from her. Fire was at his fingertips, so she knew she was in for an earful. "How can you even ask me that, _sister_? You turned my best friend in to her witch of a mother and now she lay dying! Dying! You put your princess in her deathbed!"

Mars also stood up, her face set. "I did it for you!"

"For me? How do you figure that, exactly? You killed my best friend for _me_!"

"I did not kill her!" she shot back instantly while guilt churned away inside of her. "It was not supposed to happen like that!" Her brother huffed and she had to grab his forearm to keep him from storming away from her. "I was angry because I thought she was cheating on you and I did not want to see you made even more a fool!"

Arian glared at her beneath his lashes. "Well, it seems you were wrong, does it not? We had never been together to begin with. Now that I think about it, it was your fault that Serenity and I were thrust into that horrible engagement!" He pulled away from her and moved towards a stack of books. The top one read _Broken Love, Shattered Body_ and he had to laugh at the irony. "You have no idea how much trouble you caused with that one, dear sister. I never thought I would see Serenity in so much pain again…but you had to outdo yourself, did you not?" He turned towards her in fury once more. "Why? Why have you ruined her life!"

When his sister didn't immediately respond, he observed her more closely. Her fists were clenched tightly together and something wet sparkled on her face. "I am sorry, Arian. That is what I came here to say. I am truly and deeply sorry for what has happened. While my intentions were good – I really was doing it all for you," she said earnestly, "I did not realize what I was getting into or how much wrong would occur." Carefully, she walked up to him and touched him briefly with a comforting hand. "I hope that someday you can forgive me and that I might have the chance of righting what I have wrought." Mars stepped away from him and moved towards the large double doors. "Do not spend too much more time hiding out in this musty old room, brother. The love of your life is waiting for you on the Moon."

Arian watched as she slipped out the door. He was glad that she had come. Part of him would never be able to forgive all that she had done, but part of him also recognized the deep love of a sister and was able to accept that part of her. He glanced once more outside at the setting sun and the small, almost indistinguishable, shape of the Earth.

…..

It had gone too far. They were faced with both of their children on the verge of death and the King and Queen of Earth were demanding Queen Serenity's help.

"We believe that they will benefit if they are closer together. Can you acquiesce to letting the princess come stay here on Earth?" the king asked of the floating holographic image before him.

Queen Serenity scoffed. "Why would their proximity be an issue? And why would Serenity be sent to Earth instead of the other way around?" Her tone was no less than condescending and Terra practically seethed behind her raised hand. Did this woman let nothing sink in? How could she have witnessed the shocking display of their children's Companion bond in her own throne room and still be denying its presence?

King Endymion bowed his head; even he was getting tired of his fellow monarch's attitude. "Sailor Venus was right, Serenity," he said frankly to remind the other woman that they were equals. "There has been too much evidence to prove that her claims of a Companion bond are true and, if they are, then our children lay dying unnecessarily. It means that the reason for their decline in health is solely due to their separation and the punishment we inflicted on them." There was a sudden vibration under his feet. He looked sideways at his wife and noticed that the guards at the door were also exchanging glances.

There was a pause on the other line. Terra and Endymion turned their attention back to the queen when they didn't receive an immediate response. One of her advisors was whispering something in her ear. Luckily for everyone, she decided to take Luna's comments to heart. "All right. I will admit to their connection and while I am not sure if it will yield positive results, I shall allow their sentence to be momentarily lifted so that they can be together. But only until they have returned to full health."

"When can we expect the princess to join us?" the King asked smiling, glad that they had gained the queen's cooperation.

"Join you?" she asked and watched as, at the same time, their holographic image shook. "Is everything all right?"

Queen Terra looked a little panicked and was staring out of the office window. "Just an earthquake," the king reassured. "As for the children's placement, we believe that it would be beneficial if they were in a place that held good memories. No offense, your highness, but I do not think that the princess will find those on the Moon." He barely finished his statement when Terra started poking him incessantly in the shoulder. He brushed her hand away irritated. His queen wanted him to admit the real reason that they so desperately needed the princess and he was not ready to beg.

"I will have to think about it," was all Serenity replied. She cringed to think of sending her errant child to a lesser planet where she would not be able to monitor her. Abruptly, the hologram became very dark. "King Endymion?"

"The skies are black," he whispered as he looked out of the window with his wife. An unpleasant smell quickly began to fill the room. The king scrunched his nose as the fetid air grew more intense. "What is that smell?"

The woman beside him was panicking. She had a sickening feeling that she knew what was happening. Hadn't Venus foretold of a great evil that the Companions were supposed to fight off? Before her husband could stop her, she pleaded, "The 100,000 troops that you sent us is not enough! You must help us banish this evil or it will overtake the Earth and move on to the other planets as well. We must stand together on this!" Her impassioned words were interrupted by another tremor.

Queen Serenity was trying to see what was happening, but the hologram wasn't sharp enough to pick out any details. "What is your wife going on about, king?"

"Something is happening to the Earth. Whatever it is, it is dark and very powerful. I think my queen believes that the evil that has been festering on this planet has finally broken through our defenses," his voice was both urgent and resigned.

"I will send you help immediately," his once nemesis replied while motioning for her advisors to execute her orders. She shook her head for a moment, confused by her own conflicting behavior. Before she could stop herself, she continued, "I will rally the other planets as well. You shall have the help you ask for. The Earth will officially be renamed a part of the Silver Alliance."

…

A stream of darkening skylight filtered through the window of one of the offices at the Moon Palace. It highlighted the shimmering eyes of an ageless woman. She was sitting comfortably in a tall wooden chair that had scripture in her native tongue engraved along the sides. The high priest Helios of Earth had made it for her, personally. The scripture told a story about ancient times between the Moon and Earth. It detailed the loving, tightly woven relationship the two used to have before the Angel Wars began. The tale began with the myth that the people currently on the Moon were descendents of Terrans who fled their planet during an intense environmental crisis that occurred on the Earth. The travel to the satellite and the resources within it caused a slight evolution amongst the refugees. Eventually, a new race of humans developed on the Earth. The refugees felt almost like parents of the new line and so took it upon themselves to look after them. They didn't want a repeat of the catastrophe that had caused the original Terrans to flee their planet. With all of their will and power, they held off any major events from harming their newfound children. It wasn't until a dark seed planted itself within the warm folds of Mother Earth that a true threat came unto the young Terrans.

The woman sighed. That was when everything fell apart.

Most did not believe the old myth or the prophecy that two people would forever entwine the two races of Terrans. Each one would represent a half, one the Terrans on Earth and the other the Terrans on the Moon, who were referred to as Lunarians after the Angel Wars. Due to this representation, a half of each soul would be missing. The other half could only be found within the second chosen one. Neither would be able to live without the other, both literally and figuratively. If one died, the other would follow. A desperate need to be whole would drive the two throughout their entire lives to find one another. It was a completely dependent relationship that could almost be thought of as a fate worse than death (for who could control the life of another?). However, when these two met, they would become the saviors of their respective worlds. The uniting of their souls would bring such light to the universe that chaos would crumble beneath them.

A soft hand traced the carvings on the arm of the chair that described this myth, these epic soul mates.

Another soft sigh echoed throughout the room.

She had hidden this chair in a secret place that even the palace maids did not know of. Now, looking at its brilliant craftsmanship, she wished that the hope and peace she had in her youth were still present in her. How had she maneuvered so far off of the path? How had she become this twisted creature when once she was as innocent and caring as her daughter?

There was a darkness within her. Something foreign that shifted in annoyance at the questions she was asking herself. For the first time in a long time, the queen stamped down the blackness and decided to do something good.

She had noticed the askance glances that her peers the King and Queen of Earth had been giving each other during their conversation. Though they never spoke of it, she knew they suspected that the time Venus had prophesized had come. They wanted the princess to heal their child as well as to act like the Companion she was born to be and smite down the encroaching evil on Earth.

Queen Serenity decided to let them have their weapon.

…..

They brought her the next day. Arian had to carry her because she was still unconscious. The only movement she had made in the last week was a seizure that had overcome her the night before. From what Arian was told, that was around – if not exactly at – the time Prince Endymion collapsed.

It was the last straw. As he understood it, Queen Serenity had finally given up her fight and consented to let the princess be moved to Endymion in the hopes that the close proximity would stop their rapid decrease in health. As Arian walked out of Serenity's room behind four armed guards, he was reminded of a time not too long ago when he was doing the very same thing. Both times, he sadly noted, Serenity's condition was due to her mother.

He glanced to his side and saw Mercury marching at attention, her jaw clenched. She had told him last night that she was very frightened that they had waited too long. He was too. He hoped with all his might that bringing Endymion and Serenity together would miraculously increase their health. If not for themselves, if not for him, then for Mercury. It wrenched his heart every night when she would cry with broken sobs as he rocked her in his arms. He couldn't bear seeing her in such emotional pain.

Arian glanced over at Mercury again. She was in what he liked to call "duty" mode. There was no shakiness in her eyes, no falter in her step, no tension in her hands, nothing to tell of the turmoil going on just below the surface. She was a senshi. The woman inside could wait.

He was continually amazed by her strength. By the strength of all the women of the Moon. Even the queen, he glowered.

…..

They had an extra bed moved into the prince's room for the princess to use.

That lasted only one night. There had been no change, not even an acknowledgement of one another when Serenity was first brought into the room. Many people had thought that just being in each other's presence would instantly reanimate them. Wishful thinking.

The next night, they got rid of the extra bed and placed Serenity next to Endymion. Nothing. They didn't grow any weaker, but they also didn't grow any stronger.

Days passed on.

…

Zoicite was looking in on them many days later. He was struck with the memory of the last time that he saw Endymion and Serenity in the same bed. Then, they had drawn together like moths to a flame. A small smile curved his lips when he remembered how scandalized he had been. This time, however, his friends made no movement towards each other. It felt like there was no sign of hope for him to cling to.

Unable to bear it, Zoicite briskly walked to the bed. He sat on the prince's side and leaned over his liege so that he could lace one of his hands with one of Serenity's. Pulling away, he brushed his fingertips over Endymion's forehead. "I know you would want that, my friend," he whispered. "Even if it is just her hand, I know you would want to hold her right now." He remained seated, idly playing with a loose string on the duvet cover.

That was how Jadeite found him a while later. He clasped Zoicite's shoulder in support. 'Please get better, prince,' he thought to himself. 'We all need you.'

…

"Beryl is gaining power," Kunzite said impassively.

"She has a name now?" Venus questioned from the chair on his left. Both were staring at the two figures prone in the bed before them.

"One of our spies reported in last night. He said that her numbers have doubled since last week."

"Doubled?" Venus's voice actually held a note of surprise in it. It was the most emotion Kunzite had heard in weeks. She, just as the other members of the Terran castle, had fallen into solemnity when it was confirmed that the prince and princess were too far-gone for their newfound proximity to heal them. The pronouncement had bled everyone's energy dry. They walked along the halls and conversed with each other as if in a trance, lacking all emotion or interest. So, it came as a shock when Venus managed to speak with more than a simple monotone. Apparently, the passion of war was the only thing that could arouse feeling anymore.

A sobering thought, Kunzite gulped. "Yes, there has been speculation that she is using dark magiks to lure Terran soldiers to her cause."

"What are we doing to stop it?" As the senshi spoke, she stood from her chair lazily and moved close enough to her lover that their arms touched. She briefly laid her temple against his shoulder.

Kunzite sighed. "Queen Serenity is sending Lunarian troops to our front lines every day. Jupiter and Uranus have begun to send their strongest warriors as well, but it is not enough. Beryl outnumbers us five to one. For now, it will only give our men a breather."

"That is all we can hope for now. A breather. Not the obliteration of her movement. Not even the win of a single battle. A breather. Meanwhile, our men struggle to maintain the very precarious stand-still there is right now." Before Venus could clench her fist or make any other sign of frustration, she dropped a kiss on the back of Kunzite's shoulder. Then, she moved from him to sit on the side of Endymion's bed. "No one can explain it, Kunzite. All of a sudden, for no apparent reason, Beryl's forces halted all aggressive maneuvers. She may still be amassing an army, but they are not going anywhere. The question is _why_?"

The white-haired general shook his head slightly. "I do not know. Nobody does."

"Mercury has a theory…"

"You believe her?"

Venus huffed a little. "You mean to tell me that after all you have seen, you do not?"

"She proposed that Beryl's halt was in direct correlation with the prince and princess's sudden leveling off in health. Come on, Min. You truly think that Beryl knew the second our lieges' health stopped decreasing? That it is what caused her to rethink her advancing? That does not sound a little far-fetched?"

"They are a powerful couple, Kunzite. Companions. We know that their coming foreshadows the arrival of some horrible evil. Who is to say that that is not Beryl? The King and Queen already believe it. If it is so, then she would be as tuned to them as they are fatefully tied to her on a cosmic scale of good versus evil."

If there was one thing Venus was good at, it was persuading an opponent. Kunzite liked to believe that he was also biased in that she was the love of his life and he couldn't deny her anything. When he tilted his head to the side, Venus knew that she had won him over.

…

Queen Terra held her head high as she initiated a holographic call to Queen Serenity. She hated that she constantly found herself asking the older woman for help. The last thing that her fellow monarch needed was an ego boost. When the hologram before her began to buzz, she straightened in her chair and prepared herself for another round of begging.

Queen Serenity's image faded into view. "Yes, Queen Terra? How are our children faring?"

"Not well, that is why I have come to call on you."

"Where is your husband?" the blonde asked abruptly.

Terra did her best to not feel undermined by the question. While it was true that her husband was the reigning monarch on Earth, she was not without her own power. "He has had to take leave of the palace to supervise the fighting in Ghellan." Serenity straightened in her chair, knowing that Ghellan was mere miles from the southern border of the Terran palace. "The war is on top of us and we need your assistance."

"I have already commanded King Arian, King Memrah and Queen Vyanntri to send you each an additional 250,000 warriors-"

Terra quickly interrupted her, "It is not enough. Beryl is plowing through men as if they were toys. She seems to also be reforming nearly half of everyone she meets in battle to her side. Her magiks are too strong for us." Shadows in the office grew deeper. Over her shoulder, the black cloud that had taken up residence over the palace and all its acreage was shifting. A low rumbling sounded loud enough that the floor shivered beneath it.

Serenity furrowed her brow. "I will send my personal chain of mages to aid you as well. They are taught in the old forms and might know something to break Beryl's hold over your soldiers."

"Please listen, your majesty," the lesser monarch began. "I have called counsel on anyone that I could find. Your own Sailor Mercury suggested that it is probable that our children are the only ones who will be able to stop the evil that plagues us." She waited a moment to let the other woman absorb that statement. "King Endymion agrees that we must do all we can to wake the prince and princess."

"I am waiting for the reason that you have contacted me, Terra," the high queen said patiently.

"Yes, well," the brunette fumbled. "Several things have been tried unsuccessfully. There is little left to do. Sailor Venus has suggested that we beg the gods their forgiveness and implore them to return our saviors to the fight they were born for." She waited a beat, almost expecting the other queen to laugh outright, before adding, "My king and I believe that her idea is not without merit. We would like to try a spirit séance." Serenity stared at her intently, waiting for the last line to fall. "With you."

End Chapter 20

……………..

Will she or won't she? Only a few chapters left…

Please send any comments to me, Sereko.


	22. Chapter 21

Affair by Sereko

So, okay…I had a bit of an unplanned hiatus. Honestly, unplanned. I ran into writer's block for a while and told myself that I would have to bear down and break through it within the week…which turned into two weeks, then a month, etc. It was easier to work on my other stories and focus some on my real life happenings than to tackle the problem that is that last 3 chapters of this epic story. However, I have returned with reluctant Chapter 21 in tow. I can only imagine that 22 and 23 will be just as hard for me to write…especially since they will mark the end of a story that I have been slowly writing for almost 5 years. But, have faith. No matter how long it seems to take me, I am too dedicated to this story to ever abandon it. I will finish it. I promise you that. I just don't know how many more months you might have to wait…Sorry! And thank you so much for hanging in there with me!

The gods come into play in this chapter and that forced me to make some decisions. The wonderful Ms. Takeuchi used both Greek and Roman terms in her series. While names such as Selenity, Endymion, Artemis, etc were Greek derived…the senshi were named for their planets as the Romans named their gods. I decided, to allay confusion, that I would use the Greek names for the gods (especially since everyone refers to the Moon Goddess as Selene and not the Roman term Luna in Sailor Moon fanfiction). So, please forgive me the ridiculousness of the name Aphrodite, and all the mythological (_non_-Sailor Moon related) baggage that comes with it. Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon. I merely use Naoko Takeuchi's genius as a starting point for my own storytelling.

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Chapter 21

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"Invasion?" King Endymion asked in the dim room. The darkness of Beryl's magick was increasing daily so that now, instead of merely blocking out the sun, it hung thick in the palace and wrapped itself around every light source like a blanket. While the air no longer smelled foul, it had a stale taste to it with every breath the king took.

Kunzite grimly nodded his head from his place kneeling before the dais. "Beryl's troops have infiltrated all our defenses in Allyria, Denmas and Koleton. That leaves them only days away from the palace."

The king looked behind the silver-haired man to his three other war generals. They had all recently returned from their posts at various points surrounding the Capital Lands. More significantly, they had all returned for good. There no longer were any Terran posts in the outer Capital Lands. Beryl had conquered them all effortlessly. "How did this happen?" he breathed.

His high general answered as best he could. "She absorbs anything we throw at her, your highness. Our magic seems paltry the way she deflects it all. I need not remind you of her ability to turn our own troops against us with a mere touch. One of her minions, a shadow man, nearly took Nephrite yesterday. His lieutenant reported that by the time he reached his commander, Nephrite's eyes were black and his skin pale. A few seconds more and he would not be standing here with us today. Instead, we would be fighting our brother-in-arms, just as we have been doing the past several months." He ended his speech with rage in his eyes and clenched fists. Jadeite had to send out a calming telepathic wave to prevent him from taking out his aggressions out on an unsuspecting king.

King Endymion massaged the bridge of his nose. "I know, General Kunzite. I apologize if I seem ungrateful for your effort. The four of you have fought tirelessly for too long against an opponent that cannot be beaten. We need divine help."

"Is not Queen Serenity coming today to perform a séance?" Nephrite ventured carefully, knowing his king's mixed feelings about both the Moon Queen and the ritual.

"Yes. Indeed. She is to arrive within the hour." He glanced at his attendant for confirmation.

-----

"Mars!" Venus called in a stage whisper. The other senshi was peering through a crack in the door of the Terran ritual room. "What are you doing here?"

For a few moments it didn't seem as if Mars had heard her, but she eventually turned her head to address her commander. "I have never performed a calling to the gods before and only witnessed a call to the God Mars when I was a child. I wish to see the proceedings for a Grand Calling to all the gods."

By the end of her explanation, Venus had joined her at the door. She peered through the crack herself and caught a glimpse of the shimmering white robes that the three royals were required to wear. The High Priest Helios blocked her view of the altar and much of the room beyond, but his striking features were plenty to distract her. No one had seen the man of the cloth since the Angel Wars ended so many years before. It was rumored that his real purpose was to protect the spirit of the Earth and, therefore, could not age or be killed. Even his sacred temple was hidden through the mists of another dimension for protection from the easily irritable inhabitants of the Earth.

Forgetting for a moment the animosity that lived between them, Venus asked in wonder, "Is that really him?"

Her companion nodded, unable to tear her gaze from what little of the ceremony she could see. "Even Queen Terra was shocked. I believe this is first time that she has ever seen him."

They were both silent for many minutes, allowing their old camaraderie to bridge the gap between them. Once the royals entered their meditation, Mars looked down at the floor and then tilted her head slightly towards Venus. "I am sorry," she whispered. Her voice was both strong and honest and it surprised the blonde senshi. "I know you probably do not believe me. I know that everyone thinks me to be evil and horrible in every possible way. But I did it for my brother. I am deeply sorry." She briefly looked up into her commander's eyes, then quickly turned back to the crack in the door.

There was no response and Mars slumped, worried she would never be forgiven by anyone for her terrible actions. Venus gave up on spying when it became obvious that the meditation would last several hours. As she passed by Mars, she paused meaningfully and laid a hand on the raven-haired woman's shoulder. There were no words, but the fire senshi knew what the gesture meant. It was as close to forgiveness as she was going to get.

Before she could wallow any more, Mars caught a movement out of the corner of her eye. Someone was rounding the corner on the way to the ritual room. She quickly turned and tried to slink away.

"Mars!" came a friendly voice. Recognizing the senshi of lightning, Mars relaxed and turned back around. "What are you doing here?" She couldn't help but grin at the fact that two senshi had asked her that same thing in the same tone of voice within the past five minutes.

The black-haired soldier laughed sheepishly. "Eavesdropping."

Jupiter stood a good head taller than the psychic, but her friendlier countenance made her less intimidating. She smiled at her friend, then bent down and in a stage whisper said, "Me too, I just got off duty. I hear the high priest is actually in there. Is that true?"

The two boy-crazy girls grinned impishly and turned to peer through the thin crack together.

-----

She thought it would feel empty. All that was around her was white. Blank white. Vacuous white. It ensconced her, though. She felt wrapped up in warmth and security and love. She felt filled.

Eventually the shapes of her companions became clear. They appeared as if from a fog, but she knew it to simply be that their consciousnesses had fully turned over to the spirit realm. "Terra," she purposefully called out informally to the other woman so that the Earth queen would latch onto her voice and adjust to the foreign plane she was now in.

Terra's auburn waves swam over her shoulders when she turned, with Endymion beside her, to view Serenity. The pair glided over to her on their amorphous legs. Once the three of them stood together, there was a clap, a flash and the sudden appearance of several figures. All were far more solid-looking than the visiting royals. Their hair floated about them, possessed by an unknown wind. Translucent robes that seemed more mist than cloth obscured their forms.

Serenity picked out seven men and three women. The most prominent and revered was a silvery woman in the center of the semi-circle that they had placed themselves into. Before speaking, all of them nodded respectfully to a spot behind the queen. She turned to see the almost indistinguishable form of Helios. He bowed, then faded away to wait until he would be needed for the return trip.

By the time she had turned back around, two new figures stood in the center of the crescent of gods. It was Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion.

Terra instinctively stepped forward and reached towards her son. He didn't acknowledge her. His eyes, like his mate's, were blank. Tears rushed to surface. All she could think of was how healthy he looked.

The silvery goddess immediately broke through the peace of the moment with a voice almost too pure for the royals' ears to stand. It quickly evaporated until they heard Princess Serenity's voice instead. "Why are you here?" The Moon Queen was struck by how commanding her daughter sounded, though the still blank eyes and unmoving figure made it clear that she was only being used as a vessel.

"Is it not obvious?" Queen Serenity asked in a petulant tone. "We have come for your help."

There was a brief pause during which the three royals became all too aware of the fact that they were not speaking to their children but being scrutinized by ten supreme beings. Beings who gave each other sidelong glances and spoke in whispers. "We ask not because we do not already know the answer, but because we cannot possibly imagine that you would dare to ask for our aid." This time it was Prince Endymion's voice that rang throughout the void. It was evident by his movements and his smirk in the background that the God Ares was now talking to them.

"Please, we know we have acted wrongly. We beseech you for your help because you are the only ones who can save our planet and our entire system from destruction," Terra pleaded. Her soft voice was broken with fatigue and despair.

A sonic boom rent through the air, heralding the addition of another pure voice. "We are _not_ the only ones!" The younger Serenity's voice roared. Terra looked up startled to see the Goddess Aphrodite with a raised fist and angry eyes. Selene swept out her arm in a calming gesture.

When next she spoke, the prince and princess used voices not their own but seemingly a composite of all of the supreme beings behind them. "We gave you the help that you ask us for now. We blessed you with a pair of souls strong enough to combat the darkness that threatens you. They were pure enough to finally bind the Earth and Moon back together. But instead of seeing the gift you had before you, all you saw was their transgressions against your flimsy interplanetary laws. Your pride blinded you."

"They had to be punished for their crimes," Queen Serenity's defense sounded weak even to her own ears.

"We sent them to you so that you could break down the walls of your century old feud, not so that they would be used as the prime example of your ridiculousness." The crystal blue eyes of Hermes fell to the floor after he spoke. It had been his job as messenger to grant the Companions safe passage into their new lives. He still felt guilty for not double-checking that the Silver Millennium would allow them happiness. 'They are meant for turbulent times, dear. It is their duty to right wrongs, not yours to see a future blocked to your well-meaning eyes,' came the soft telepathic voice of Demeter. He looked up and gave her a grateful nod.

The Queen of the Moon tried to fight back again. The dark part that still lingered inside her knew she had acted only with malice, but the good part that was growing stronger everyday was striving for justification and forgiveness. "We did not know of their power. To us…me," she corrected quickly when Terra gave her a heartfelt glare, "they were merely our children."

"Children that still found each other across the boundaries you had erected. Children who fought not only for themselves, but also for the unification of your entire world. They do not sound like any 'mere' children to me." Selene shook her head sadly. Before she could continue, there was a sudden gust of mystical wind.

Everyone turned to see Aphrodite's aura shimmering brightly, intensely enough to tint her translucent white robes an impassioned red. Her violent outburst was in reaction to the thoughts she has just overheard in Serenity's mind. 'How were we to know?' "My very vessel warned you!" exploded out of the princess's lips. "She not only told you who they were but what would happen should you mistreat them!"

The Moon Queen remembered well the threat Sailor Venus had made to her on the day of her daughter's sentencing. She had said that the gods would never forgive her. And, indeed, it seemed that they would not. Not after all the pain she had caused her own flesh and blood. She had done worse than publicly humiliate her, she had raised her with violence and derision instead of love and understanding.

"We can sense the darkness in you, child," Demeter calmly stated. It was unnerving for the three humans present that the gods could read their minds. "You let it into your soul when you renounced love so many years ago. Since the day when you banished Tael, it has festered inside of you, gaining strength as each day has passed. However, its power over you has been waning as of late." Serenity knew that. She could feel herself acting more rationally every day. "I am sorry that we cannot help you in this. It is a personal demon you must defeat on your own. Just know that when it matters most, you will be free to act as you should."

Terra saw that they were getting off topic and tried to plead once more. "Please, can you at least help awaken our children?"

"Why?" Aphrodite asked. Her aura had faded to a respectable hue, but bits of red still floated about her. She would never forgive these humans for what they did to her progeny.

King Endymion looked baffled by the question. "We need them to fight off Beryl and whomever is leading her. We are not strong enough on our own." His queen looked askance at him.

She took a step closer to the prince and princess and whispered, "Because I love my son and he does not deserve this fate."

"It is not enough," Selene suddenly declared. "Your request for help is denied. The beings of purity will be returned to the spirit world to wait and be reborn until a more worthy time. Which," suddenly it was no longer the princess speaking, but the goddess herself – the power of her voice nearly deafening the three royals, "I assure you will not be for another millennium."

Before the royals knew what was happening, Helios shimmered to form behind them. Then, quickly, they were being pulled out of the spirit realm and returning to consciousness in the Terran Palace.

"No!" Queen Terra shouted. "Please," she begged brokenly, beating her fists on the marble floor of the ritual room. She looked up at her high priest and asked in anger, "Why did you pull us out so fast? I need to convince them! I want my son back!"

Serenity also looked perturbed. Before she could shout at the shorter man, he spoke up in a calm voice, "The Goddess Selene made her decision well before you called on them. You were not there to barter or argue. It was generous of her to allow you any chance to beg for Aphrodite's children."

"But we need them back!" the king demanded.

"That is not enough," was all the priest said before he unceremoniously left the room.

-----

Everyone was dismayed to hear of the failure of the Grand Calling. With enemy troops marching on palace land, the time had turned desperate. Potions and magical boosts of adrenaline were administered to the prince and princess. As before, nothing helped.

The king eventually left the palace to help his men fight. Queen Serenity generously stayed on Earth with her highest commanders, the entire fleet of planetary senshi, to try to save the palace and the refugees hiding within it. If the palace fell to darkness, Beryl's strength would double and she would stand a good chance of defeating all of Mercury, Mars and even the Moon. After that, there would be no end. Despite rallying the power of the remaining planets, the loss of the Moon would cripple the entire Silver Millennium.

It could not come to that. If Beryl's evil took the Earth, Queen Serenity would have to use every ounce of energy the Silver Imperium Crystal carried to stop her from conquering any further. And by using the crystal to its fullest, the queen would be sacrificing her very life - given that the crystal and its carrier were tied at their very cores.

For the first time in her adult life, Serenity was pure enough to understand that. Not only understand, but accept it as an honorable fate.

-----

"Remind me what we are doing here again? I thought the gods said we could not get them back." Mars impatiently tapped her foot. She wanted to be on the front lines where she could do some damage, not assisting in some hair-brained scheme Mercury had come up with to awaken the Companions.

"We still have to try." Venus held back her temper and continued, "And remember, you volunteered to help us…but if your negative energy jeopardizes what we are trying to do in any way, then I have no qualms about throwing you out of the room." She threw the fire senshi a stern look.

"I know. I want to help," Mars said firmly. "What exactly are we doing again?"

"We are combining our energy and siphoning it through Nephrite into the prince and princess in the hopes that it will be enough to bring them out of their comas."

"All right, everyone," Nephrite spoke up. "We have no guarantees that this will help them, but we have to at least give it a try. Now, close your eyes." At his command, the rest of the Terran generals, three Lunarian senshi and one Martian prince all shut their eyes. "Hold the hand of the person to either side of you." They did that too while forming a semi-circle around the bed. Nephrite stood at the focal point of the horseshoe. "I need you to think of them. When they were happy or healthy or, preferably, together. Any strong memory you have. Focus on it."

Nephrite could feel the energy gathering in his friends. Lights erupted in his head. Each light marked one of the people linked to him. Some shown brighter than others, like Kunzite and Venus who had the strongest memories of the prince and princess as a couple.

"Good. Good. Now, keep focusing on them, but free your energy. I need you to let go so that I can take hold of it." Immediately he saw Mercury's light float towards him. The others closely followed. Arian took the longest because he was the one most unfamiliar with the workings of energy. Nephrite held tightly to the lights and began to absorb them into himself.

Zoicite slumped to the ground when his energy left him. He looked up as Jadeite laid a hand on his shoulder and gave the blonde a nod to assure him that he was all right. Then, it happened. Everyone in the room felt when the large build-up of energy in Nephrite's care shot out to the two figures on the bed. They all held their breath.

Within seconds, Serenity's eyes and mouth shot open and her body jolted up from the bed. "Sere!" Mercury cried out and ran to her friend's side. The princess dropped back down, her mouth closed from its silent scream, but her eyes remained open. She blinked. "Princess!" Serenity turned her head slowly to look at her friend.

"Ma..moru…" was what she forced from her scratchy throat. Mercury, with tears in her eyes, smiled and pointed to a spot beyond the princess's sight.

"He is right here, Sere. He is right next to you." The blonde followed her senshi's finger and saw the prone form of Endymion lying next to her. Her lip curled just slightly as she reached out for him. The other occupants of the room were sad to note that the prince showed no signs of having been fired up with borrowed energy.

"Mamo-chan," Serenity weakly whispered. With what looked to be every ounce of strength she could muster, she rolled her body over to face her lover.

He moved.

Kunzite's eyes widened and he gripped tightly to Venus's hand. "Prince?" he questioned hopefully. His liege lifted his hand again, with a bit more starch this time so that it didn't fall down immediately thereafter. His mouth parted slightly and he looked to be trying to speak. Nothing could move past his parched lips. Serenity leaned down and wet his mouth with her own. Endymion shifted with more force and brought his raised hand to the side of her neck.

When they pulled apart from their chaste kiss, Endymion breathed, "We are back." He looked straight into the crystal blue eyes of his beloved and she just nodded, returning his intense stare.

The two didn't say another word for several minutes. Venus watched them watch each other, seemingly absorbing one another's very essence. 'It worked!' she thought and felt Kunzite nod an astonished agreement. The people standing around her started to shift. Shock had finally worn off and now they were itching to rejoice at the miracle that had just taken place.

Serenity looked up from the bed as if sensing their anxiety. After scanning the faces in the room, she gave them a soft smile. There was an aura enveloping her and her prince that bespoke of peace and knowledge. Their Companions had returned to them fully awakened to their true purpose. Serenity's smile was more than a greeting; it was a confirmation that their weapon was in complete, working order.

Finally, once the silence had dragged to an almost unbearable length, the princess reached out a hand. Venus answered the call by briskly walking over to the bed. She beamed at her liege and had to stop herself from throwing herself across the prince to give the younger woman a hug. "Serenity." She paused on the name, letting the foreign moniker roll around her mouth, before continuing, "It is good to have you back."

Endymion watched, pleased, as his princess tried not to act completely stunned that her high senshi had finally, unprompted, called her by her name and not her title. He remembered when he had shared such a moment with Kunzite and knew that, in that second, Serenity felt truly loved by her fellow blonde warrior. "We are happy to be back," she managed to squeeze past her frozen lips.

Suddenly, Mercury broke in with an uncharacteristic squeal of happiness whilst she bounded from her side of the bed into a backwards embrace with Serenity. The princess grinned impishly before letting out a happy laugh. From his vantage point partially beneath her, Endymion admired the first uninhibited look of joy that he had ever seen on his beloved. Sooner than he was able to grab her and partake of that smile in his own, unique way, he was crushed under the weight of at least two of his generals. Mercury's outburst had resulted in a giant group hug.

End Chapter 21

……………..

Aww, such a sappy ending note.

Please send any comments to me, Sereko.


	23. Chapter 22

Affair by Sereko

I'm sure there are a few of you blown away that I actually did come back and finish this story… hopefully a few even excited about it. There are no words for how sorry I am that it took me so long to get to you and while I have some rather valid excuses, there are none that I want to waste your time with. This is the end, my friends. The final chapter as well as the epilogue (b/c I thought it too cruel to make you wait this long for the end and then have to wait again for the epilogue).

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon. I merely use Naoko Takeuchi's genius as a starting point for my own storytelling.

…………

Chapter 22

…………

While getting out of bed for the first time in weeks, Endymion stumbled. Nephrite, the nearest to him, immediately reached over to steady him before he fell to his knees. "Prince?" he asked unsurely.

His liege took a moment to gain his footing, then shrugged out of his general's hold. "Thank you, I am fine."

"Are you still weak?" Mercury asked. "I assumed the gods would bring you back fully healed."

Serenity came off of the bed behind her lover and placed a hand on his back. "They did. Our bodies just need a little longer to catch up to the recuperation of our soul." She gave the group at large her best reassuring smile until the fear in their eyes settled. Endymion straightened beside her and they clung to each other just a bit to stop their knees from wobbling. She felt like in the short time her body had been immobile, her muscles had already atrophied.

Her musings were interrupted by the ever-impatient Mars. "I do not understand. I mean, I am happy that you have awakened, of course. But, the gods assured us that that was an impossibility." Serenity could sense her sincerity and knew that it would take a while until she saw the fire senshi as something other than her tormentor. Forgiveness took time…time they were running out of.

"It was. Or they thought it was, anyway. They underestimated you." Serenity smiled despite herself.

"What is she talking about?" Jadeite asked completely confused. He turned to look around him, focusing on the prince. "What is she talking about?" he asked a bit more insistently when everyone just shrugged their shoulders.

Endymion spoke up, "The need was great enough and, more importantly, the love was great enough. The gods decided to let you have your Companions back."

"That is it?" Mars yelled in frustration. "But we have loved you greatly for weeks and they did not answer our prayers then!"

"You were not truly united. For all of you, from different backgrounds and with unstable relationships," she glanced pointedly at Venus and Mars, "to come together regardless of how you felt about one another…it proved to the gods that maybe things were changing for the better. There is hope that the things that tore the Silver Millenium apart can be put back together." She looked down as if thinking of her next words, but really she was debating with herself and Endymion if she was truly ready for what she was about to do. In the end, her heart won the argument, as it always inevitably did. She took a few steps to her right until she stood in front of Mars. With one last moment of indecision, she straightened and looked the taller woman in the eye.

For once, Mars felt like the least intimidating of the two of them. She was unsure of what her princess was thinking and was expecting a slap, when Serenity surprised her and said, "Thank you."

"For what?" she asked baffled. "You should hate me with every fiber of your being. I am the catalyst that caused every bad thing that has befallen you this past year," her voice had risen towards the end as if indignant on her liege's behalf…even if it was herself that she was mad at.

Serenity looked away for a moment, her voice sounding distant. "Yes, that is true." A warm hand slipped into hers. She didn't have to look behind her to know that it was Endymion. His strength seeped into her and allowed her to truly put the last of her anger behind her. "However," she continued meaningfully, "you were still willing to face ridicule in order to come here and help us. It was you, Rei, who served not as the catalyst for our demise but as the catalyst of our return."

Her senshi of fire looked quizzically at her, the ire churning inside of her melting away instantly. "What?" she asked dumbly.

"What do you mean, Sere?" Mercury asked from a few feet away.

The princess turned to engage the rest of the room in the conversation. "It was not enough that our king and queens beseeched the gods to return a much needed weapon, or even that our parents begged them for their children back… The powers that be needed proof that there was a reason to give this millennium another chance. They needed to see that differences could be overcome and that the people of this system could join together on the side of good. Mars did that by admitting to the darkness within her and expelling it out with remorse for her actions and the desire to repent. She joined your cause and you all came together to bring us back… not because you needed us as something to push back the darkness, but because you loved us and wanted us back as friends."

Serenity let them absorb that, tired of explaining and tired of standing. "Now, if you will give us a moment, the prince and I must speak with our parents," she rather abruptly excused herself and Endymion from the room. More than anything, she wanted air. Fresh air. Terran air. She wanted to enjoy what was quickly becoming a short return to the world.

Once outside, her Companion tugged on her hand to slow her to a stop. He hadn't minded being dragged along, he too needed to catch a breath, but Serenity was briskly moving away from a responsibility he knew they both needed to face. "It is okay, Usa," he assured her. She slowly turned to face him and allowed him to pull her closer so that their body heat mingled together. "No matter how little time we have left, we will meet again in the next cycle. My heart will always beat for yours and our soul will always draw us together."

"What if we hate each other? What if I am silly and dumb?"

"Impossible, on both counts," he teased. Happy that her insecurities had turned to more frivolous matters, he ducked down and fused their mouths together. Caught in the middle of a pout and a laugh, Serenity was wide open for his assault and was easily swayed from being carefree to passionate. Their arms grasped, bodies melded and breaths mounted in quick succession. Kissing was truly a gift from the gods.

-----

There was a noise at the door. Everyone in the throne room quieted and turned their attention to the two figures walking past the guards at the entrance.

Terra froze.

She had expected to see a page bringing yet more bad news. Instead, her very much not-comatose son was making quick strides in her direction. She couldn't speak past the lump in her throat, nor move with her leaden legs. Her mouth fell open and she managed a weak mewling noise.

The prince nodded formally to an equally stunned Queen Serenity and King Endymion, before turning so that his stumbling mother fell into his open arms. She grasped onto him, her desperate fingers roaming over his back and arms and face to ensure that he was real. Finally, her eyes settled on his. "Endy," she croaked out. "H-How?"

Serenity walked up to the two and laid a sympathetic hand on the older woman's shaking back. Terra caught Serenity's eye over Endymion's shoulder, her gentle tears sparkling in the haloed light of the grand hall. "You can thank all our dear friends who stood beside one another and begged us back."

The queen gave a nod meant to show her understanding, but Serenity knew she was too overcome with joy to truly process what the Lunarian was saying. Her son turned his head away, while still holding her, to address the other royals. "You must evacuate the palace. Send everyone through the teleporters past the asteroid belt. Beryl and her shadows are upon us."

Queen Serenity stood from her seat and looked as if she were going to question Endymion's order. She was stilled by her daughter before any words could pass through her lips. Mother and daughter stared at one another, no fight left in either of their eyes. They connected in that one moment for the first time in many years.

Serenity could see the change in the queen. The cynical darkness that pervaded her gaze had dissipated. Somehow her death had served to free her mother from her demons.

The floor of the palace quaked.

And now real demons were knocking at their door. It was time to end this.

-----

Everyone was so excited. They finally had hope that this war would stop – that evil would not succeed in taking over the universe.

Beryl was at the foot of the palace's marble steps, her replenishing fleet of soldiers amassed behind her. On the front lines were seven inhuman blurs of shadow that exuded pure evil. The senshi and generals – of both the Moon and Earth – as well as legions of soldiers from all nine planets were already hard at work. Some had been fighting this war for months. Plenty of Terran men had raised scars littering their bodies from battles fought elsewhere on Earth. They had internal scars, too, from seeing their peers fall to darkness and join Beryl unwillingly.

All were finally free from the weariness that had plagued them over the past few days. Today was different. Today they had their Companions.

-----

"Are you ready?" Endymion asked. He and Serenity were still inside the palace. They were the last ones. Any innocent bystanders left had been safely evacuated to other planets, and the ones that could handle a sword were already outside.

Serenity nodded absently in answer to his question. She was staring blankly at the large doors in front of her. There was no anxiety to be seen. No terror. No sadness. She knew exactly what was coming and accepted it. "It is interesting," she mused. "Twice we have stood before doors leading us into a doomed situation. The first time, I thought my life was over. It is odd to know for certain that this time, my life really will be over. No more rules to break; no more separation; and no more fighting to be who we are meant to be." Unbeknownst to the others, they had not saved the pair soon enough. Their souls had been irreparably damaged by their lengthy separation and even the vast power of the gods could not right what had been wronged. The Silver Millenium was doomed. But at least they could save the souls of their people.

She came out of her retrospection to focus her gaze on the man beside her. Her sky blue eyes looked darker and wiser than they used to. She reached out to hold one of his hands, then brought it – and him – carefully closer to her. For a while, she studied his palm, tracing his lifeline and then each of his fingers. They involuntarily curled inward at her touch. "I should have known," she said sardonically.

"Known what?"

"Your lifeline is short."

Endymion gently captured her curious hand and turned it over. "So is yours," he smirked. Then he reached up and tugged on the collar of her dress to expose her bonding mark. As his mother had done to him, he traced the symbol slowly. "I wonder if we will have these in our next life."

"Even without them, we will still be able to find each other," she whispered while leaning up towards him. "Even without them, people will still know that I am yours and you are mine." In the breath after her words were spoken, their lips met.

Endymion savored the feel before reluctantly parting from her.

They turned as one to the gate of their demise. "Are you ready to begin again?" Endymion asked Serenity with a twinkle in his eye.

She smiled a true smile up at him. "With you?" She pretended to ponder her answer for a moment, teasingly tapping her index finger against her chin. Then, her eyes softened. "Always." She squeezed his hand affectionately and began to walk forward.

Together they telekinetically pushed open the massive palace doors and stepped into their future.

---

In the end, for better or worse, the final battle was shorter than anyone had expected. The shadows swept over the Terran palace like a sea of black gulls. Their taint infected every warrior within spitting distance, turning good men quicker than it took to blink.

They had to retreat to the Moon days sooner than they had hoped. The Lunarians had a better immunity to Beryl's sick power, but even their mystical strength was no match for the legions of blackened souls that fronted the evil queen's army.

Eventually, it came down to the most elite of the system's defenders. Queen Serenity promptly sent her outer senshi back to their home planets. They needed to prepare a last line of defense between the Silver Millenium and the rest of the universe. She had come to terms with what she might have to do if push came to shove, but she was worried that her less-than-pure heart could not incite the Imperium Silver Crystal to shine to its fullest.

It was watching her world literally falling apart around her that sparked a fire of injustice within her. It was seeing her daughter's best friend fall to the darkness, Arian arriving a second too late to save her. It was witnessing the turning of Endymion's most trusted friends, completely unable of fending off the evil the shadows swamped them with. It was having to watch as Kunzite stalked the love of his life only to have Venus give herself up so that she so wouldn't have to fight him. And it was struggling through the ruins of her kingdom, only to turn a corner and watch as her daughter stabbed herself with her dead lover's sword so that they could finally be together.

Their bodies were embracing even in death.

Queen Serenity ignored the cackles of Beryl and the spitting of her minions. She walked up to her only child and brushed the hair out of her face. It amazed her that she couldn't have appreciated such a wonderful girl until it was too late.

"No!" came an anguished call behind her. She turned to see Luna and Artemis running up to their charge. "No! Sere!" Luna crumpled to the ground and tried to reach for her surrogate daughter. Artemis had to hold her back so that she wouldn't hurt herself upon the very sword that was impaling the prince and princess.

The queen looked at her advisor with new eyes. Luna had cared for her child as a real parent would. If Serenity didn't find love and guidance with her, then she was happy she had found it with someone. "Luna," she called softly. The woman didn't respond at first, too overcome with grief to hear through her sobs. "Luna, I need you to do something for me," she ordered.

Artemis looked up at their queen when Luna continued to be unresponsive. "Anything, your majesty."

"Please, both of you, look after my daughter in the next life. Care for her as you always have. Love her like I never did." She raised her hand to reveal the Silver Imperium Crystal. Luna and Artemis stared at the gem with wide eyes. "She deserves another chance at happiness. Free from the hardships she found here." With one last thought, the queen engaged the power of her birthright. The crystal blazed hot…

…and then the world went white.

End Chapter 22

……………..

It's short, shorter than I usually demand of my chapters – part of the long delay in posting this – but I always wanted it to be a bit more of an ambiguous ending. I didn't feel a need to elaborate on the final battle that we've seen and read several different versions of. The fun of this story for me was to come up with a lead-in to the final battle, as opposed to re-writing how Naoko Takeuchi penned the end of the Moon Kingdom. I hope this sits well with you all and that you've enjoyed my interpretation and elaboration of the Silver Millenium.


	24. Epilogue

Affair by Sereko

This is to all of you dedicated fans who have pushed and reviewed and screamed when I took too long. It's been a long, **long** road and I thank you all for your kind words. I can't believe it's the end… but now I finally have time to work on the 12 other Usa/Mamo stories that have popped up in my head while writing Affair. - Keep an eye out!

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon. I merely use Naoko Takeuchi's genius as a starting point for my own storytelling.

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Epilogue

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She saw him briefly at first. A flash of his silver hair swiping across her vision. Then, she turned and caught him square on. They both paused, studying each other not as enemies but something more. She knew him. Knew him well enough to feel that his being evil wasn't right. Her instincts didn't tell her to run. They were guided by her heart and it was pounding ferociously at his proximity. "Kunzite," she whispered almost reverently – the name slipping past her tongue unwittingly.

He moved forward as if a string were pulling him towards her. His face was unusually soft, innocent even. "Min," he quietly responded. He didn't know where the name came from, but he knew it was right. In the distance he could here Zoicite calling for help, to return to the fight against the senshi. For the first time that he could remember, he ignored his duty in favor of drowning in the blue eyes before him. "Min," he repeated softly.

---

She was jotting down notes as fast as she could and still didn't feel like she was noting everything the teacher said. Advanced trigonometry was a thrilling challenge for her overly brilliant mind, so she stopped writing neatly and began to scrawl words across her notebook to grab every word. Before she knew it, the teacher was calling for a short recess.

Shifting back in her seat, Ami let her neck roll from one side to the other to release the tension that had been building since class began. She carefully put her pencil down in the crease of her notebook and massaged her wrist. Once adequately relaxed, she perused the room to study her peers. It was the first day of juku and so she hadn't had the chance to meet anyone…or, more likely in her case, size everyone up. There was a black-haired girl in the corner talking to an older boy whom she recognized from a juku she had attended the year before. A few others seemed familiar, but none were friends.

Ami glanced to the left side of the room and immediately shifted back in her seat. The boy next to her was staring straight at her. He had disheveled brown hair and a friendly smile on his face. She noticed with a quick peek that his notes were as thorough as hers. He flicked his head to displace the bangs falling into his eyes and she nearly gasped when she got a clear look at him. His eyes were a warm auburn that seared a part of her locked deep inside. There was something about him…

He stuck out his hand in the western style and introduced, "Hi, I'm Greg."

Her heart did a funny, little flip.

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She slammed into him at full force. Papers, bodies and a shoe flew in all directions. Mamoru rubbed his head where the blonde whirlwind's shoe had smacked into him as he stood up. Dusting himself off, he offered a hand to the girl still on the sidewalk. She accepted and, without looking at him, proceeded to bow several times over in apology. "I'm so sorry! I'm late for school! I didn't mean it!" At the end of her litany of excuses, she righted herself and finally caught Mamoru's eyes with her own.

A spark flew…straight from his soul to hers.

Their gazes muddled with memories until the young stranger stepped closer to Mamoru. He reached out at the very same moment that she did until they were both cupping one another's cheeks. "What are you doing?" Mamoru found himself asking.

"I am memorizing your face," she whispered breathlessly back. He could tell from the way her body slightly swayed and how her eyes never seemed to blink as she watched him that he wasn't the only one in a surreal trance. She let her fingers glide over his features, settling bravely on his bottom lip. A shiver shot up both their spines.

Mamoru leaned down, a lock of black hair falling into his eyes, and said, "Why?" If he didn't know better, he could've sworn his voice dropped an octave. Slowly, he continued to lean down until their foreheads touched.

The blonde's breath scattered across his skin at their proximity. "So that I never forget you…Mamo-chan."

"Usako." He had said the endearment without thinking, without truly knowing why, but he knew it was right. Moving a final inch forward, his lips found hers.

Somewhere a 'click' sounded as all the wheels of destiny finally snapped into place.

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End Epilogue

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So, I threw in the Greg (Ryo in the Japanese) thing because the idea just popped in my head and it seemed like too good of an opportunity to pass up. Originally, Arian was completely non-cannon with no connection to the actual manga/anime. Then I was putting together these 'present day' scenes and, in the middle of writing Ami's, thought that it might be cute and a little fun if Arian turned out to be Greg.


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